Nick Ward will reportedly join Atlanta Hawks for Summer League

In the coming days, the Atlanta Hawks will continue to add to their roster for the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League. Texas Tech guard Matt Mooney and St. Joseph’s wing Charlie Brown (now on a Two-Way contract) are already expected to join Atlanta’s cast of on-roster talent and, now it appears they will be joined by Michigan State big man Nick Ward.

Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News and Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press both report that Ward will be on Atlanta’s Summer League roster after being undrafted in 2019. The 6’9, 245-pound big man was an All-Big Ten third-team selection last season after averaging 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and prior to suffering a hairline fracture in his hand that forced a five-game absence midseason, Ward was even more productive.

All signs point to that injury no longer being a concern and Ward brings a physical element to Atlanta’s roster for Las Vegas. He has always struggled with foul trouble and perimeter defense, but Ward is an uber-productive rebounder and finisher near the rim with an impressive pedigree.

The entire roster will not be available until closer to tip-off in the desert but, for now, the roster for the Hawks projects to include Ward, Mooney, Brown, Omari Spellman and Jaylen Adams, with De’Andre Hunter and Bruno Fernando likely to join the proceedings after the trade machinations are complete.

Stay tuned.