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The Atlanta Hawks have been linked to a number of trade discussions in advance of Thursday afternoon’s NBA trade deadline and, before 3:00 pm ET arrived, the team reportedly agreed to a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. While it does not include any of the more prominent figures discussed in the rumor mill, Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com reports that the Hawks will send second-year guard Tyler Dorsey to Memphis in exchange for veteran guard Shelvin Mack.
Grizzlies trading Shelvin Mack to Atlanta for guard Tyler Dorsey.
— Michael Wallace (@MyMikeCheck) February 7, 2019
However, Chris Vivlamore of the AJC reports that Mack will be waived by the Hawks upon arrival.
According to league source, the Hawks will waive Shelvin Mack.
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) February 7, 2019
Though not official at the time of this post, the deal has been confirmed my multiple outlets. Dorsey was Atlanta’s second-round draft pick in 2017 and the former Oregon standout appeared in 83 games across two seasons with the Hawks. However, Dorsey found himself on the outside looking in when it comes to the rotation in recent weeks and he is operating on an expiring contract after signing a two-year deal prior to his rookie season.
Following the deal, both Travis Schlenk and Lloyd Pierce thanked Dorsey for his service to the organization and the young player expressed his gratitude on social media.
— Tyler Dorsey (@TDORSEY_1) February 8, 2019
It is unclear what the motivation would be to acquire Mack before waiving him, as he makes (slightly) more money ($47,823 in increased payroll for this season) than Dorsey. In theory, he could have provided a stable option as a third point guard but details could be revealed to shine light on Atlanta’s motivation.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.