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Monday was very busy for the Atlanta Hawks, even as the team enjoyed an off day from the basketball court itself. In unfortunate news, Kent Bazemore was ruled out for the remainder of the season and rookie swingman Jaylen Morris will miss the next few weeks with an injury in his own right.
In terms of roster moves, the Hawks also reportedly found another wing in the form of Damion Lee and, in short, his presence will be sorely needed in the near future. However, there was another reported contractual maneuver and it centered around the decision to lock down Antonius Cleveland for the remainder of the 2017-2018 season and into the 2018-2019 campaign.
Atlanta Hawks and guard Antonius Cleveland plan to execute a multiyear deal that would guarantee his contract for the remainder of the season, league sources tell ESPN.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 12, 2018
Chris Haynes of ESPN brings word of a move that was already widely assumed (and alluded to by Michael Cunningham of the AJC), as the Hawks added Cleveland on two different 10-day contracts despite a lingering injury that has kept him out of action. While the Hawks have not yet announced the move, it makes sense that the team would want to have Cleveland available through the summer and a more thorough evaluation process and, frankly, it would be a bit stunning if the deal was anything but non-guaranteed for the 2018-19 season.
Cleveland is a young, athletic wing that could be a Hawks University find and, while it wasn’t always clear why the Hawks waited to simply sign him for the rest of the season, that move appears to be in the offing. Stay tuned.