The Atlanta Hawks have released 24-year old rookie guard Donald Sloan.  Sloan played in 5 games (0 starts) for the Hawks this year and he averaged 4.0 minutes, 1.2 points, 1.0 rebound and 1.0 assist per game.  He only shot 37.5% from the floor but he didn’t really have much of a chance to get into a groove shooting the ball.  The Hawks weren’t going to use Sloan much this season anyway as they are pretty loaded at the guard spots.  They won’t miss him.

25-year old starting center Al Horford is going to miss the next 3-4 months due to a torn left pectoral muscle that will require surgery.  Horford has played in 11 games (all starts) for the Hawks this year and he is averaging 31.6 minutes, 12.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game.  The Hawks are holding out hope that he will be able to return to action sometime in the playoffs…..but that could be wishful thinking.  27-year old Zaza Pachulia will replace Horford as the starting center for the rest of the regular season, at least.  Pachulia has played in 11 games (0 starts) for the Hawks so far this year and he is averaging 15.9 minutes, 5.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Pachulia is not in Horford’s league as a defensive player but he should be able to rebound and give the Hawks a presence offensively around the basket.

The Hawks have signed 32-year old point guard Jannero Pargo.  Pargo didn’t play in any games for the Bulls last year.  He has now played in 378 games (18 starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 15.8 minutes, 6.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.  Pargo will backup Jeff Teague at point guard until Kirk Hinrich is ready to return to action.

The Hawks have signed 37-year old shooting guard Jerry Stackhouse to a 1-year deal.  Stackhouse played in 7 games (1 start) for the Heat last year and he averaged 7.1 minutes, 1.7 points, 1.0 rebound and 0.4 assists per game.  He has now played in 903 games (564 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 32.6 minutes, 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.  The Hawks are just taking a flier on Stackhouse, to see if he has anything left in the gas tank.

The Hawks have signed 31-year old forward Vladimir Radmanovic to a 1-year deal.  Radmanovic played in 74 games (6 starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 15.8 minutes, 5.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  He shot 40.5% from three point range last year which probably appealed to the Hawks.  He has now played in 663 games (210 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 23.0 minutes, 8.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

The Hawks have re-signed 33-year old center Jason Collins to a 1-year deal.  Collins played in 49 games (28 starts) for the Hawks last year and he averaged 12.1 minutes, 2.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  He has now played in 645 games (457 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 21.9 minutes, 3.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  The Hawks only expect rebounding and defense out of Collins when he’s on the floor.

The Atlanta Hawks will be without 30-year old PG/SG Kirk Hinrich for about a month after he had recent surgery to remove a cyst and repair his labrum in his left shoulder.  Hinrich played in 24 games (22 starts) for the Hawks last year and he averaged 28.6 minutes, 8.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.  The Hawks are going to miss Hinrich’s outside shot as he nailed 42.1% of his shots from three point range last year for the Hawks.  Jeff Teague will not only have to start while Hinrich is out of action, but he’s going to have to play big minutes.

The Atlanta Hawks have signed 32-year old shooting guard Tracy McGrady for 1 year deal for the veteran’s minimum.  McGrady played in 72 games (39 starts) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 23.4 minutes, 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.  T-Mac has now played in 886 games (703 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 33.7 minutes, 20.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game.  T-Mac’s deal will become official on Friday.  The Hawks hope that McGrady will give them an offensive  spark off  the bench in 2011-12, and he comes at the right price.

The Hawks took 22-year old, 6’11″, 230 pound center Keith Benson out of Oakland with the 48th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft.  Benson played in 35 games for Oakland last year and he averaged 32.4 minutes, 17.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 3.6 blocked shots per game.  He played in 135 games in his four years in college and he averaged 26.8 minutes, 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 2.7 blocked shots per game.  Benson should be able to add toughness, defense and rebounding to the Hawks when he is on the basketball court.  The Hawks have to be pleased with this pick because Benson should have been long gone by #48.

UPDATE:  (12/23/2011) – The Hawks have waived Keith Benson.

The Atlanta Hawks have six unrestricted free agents coming into this off-season.  I would think that re-signing PG/SG Jamal Crawford will be a high priority for the Hawks.  He won’t come cheaply though as the free agent market is pretty soft as far as scorers like Crawford go, so he will be in high demand which will drive the price up on him.  I could see the Hawks having an interest in bringing back backup PF Josh Powell or backup SG Damien Wilkins if the price is right.  I don’t see the Hawks putting much of an effort in bringing back Jason Collins (C), Hilton Armstrong (C) or Etan Thomas (PF/C).