:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55559577/usa_today_9730975.0.jpg)
Per a report from HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy within a larger story about him, Willie Reed has drawn some interest from the Atlanta Hawks as a low-cost replacement for Dwight Howard. Reed is an unrestricted free agent after spending one year with the Miami Heat, where he flashed a decent amount of skill as a rim protector and rebounder.
Reed has bounced around a lot since becoming a professional and going undrafted in the 2011 draft, signing contracts in Spain, the Dominican Republic, and with both Memphis and Sacramento but not playing in games for those teams. He got his first real shot in the NBA with Brooklyn in 2015-16 at 25 years old, impressing enough in one year to earn another minimum contract with the Heat.
As we’ve seen over and over these past handful of years, the Heat took him into their system and transformed him into a rebounding machine. Reed was a mainstay in Miami’s rotation throughout the second half of the season, which saw the Heat go on a 30-11 run that almost earned them a playoff berth.
Reed has drawn eyeballs throughout the league, with no fewer than five teams interested in his services, including both Atlanta and Miami. Reed would fit in perfectly with the Hawks, who are completely starved at the center position with just John Collins and Miles Plumlee capable of playing the position on the current roster. Atlanta has a lot of cap space after losing Millsap to Denver and slightly overpaying Reed in the hopes that they can continue his upward climb would be a good investment.
Stay tuned.