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The mutual interest between the Atlanta Hawks and power forward Kris Humphries was one of the worst-kept secrets in the NBA. Now, Humphries is officially a member of the organization after clearing waivers, and the Hawks announced the signing on Tuesday evening.
Here is what head coach (and president of basketball operations) Mike Budenholzer had to say about adding Humphries:
"As we explored opportunities to add to our team after the trade deadline, we felt it was important to prioritize experience and versatility," Budenholzer said. "Kris is a versatile veteran with playoff experience who fits well with our group and within our system. We are fortunate to have Kris join our team and would like to welcome him to the Hawks family."
With Tiago Splitter gone for the season, Humphries provides quality depth in the frontcourt at a very low cost. He has struggled with his jump shot this season (38.1% FG, 33.8% 3-PT), but Humphries is a capable shooter when left alone, and the physical forward should improve Atlanta's rebounding when he is deployed.
In reality, Humphries will be directly competing with Mike Muscala and Mike Scott for minutes behind Al Horford and Paul Millsap, and there is a certain ceiling on the impact that he could make. Still, Kris Humphries is a solid veteran and, when dealing with the buyout market, there isn't an overflowing talent pool.
Stay tuned.