Louis Williams agrees to join Atlanta Hawks for a multiyear contract – NBA News
The Atlanta Hawks have reached an agreement with free agent guard Louis Williams for a multiyear contract, a source has told ESPN.com.
Williams played for the Philadelphia 76ers last season and had an amazing year, averaging a career high 14.9 points and 3.5 assists per game. He finished second in the Sixth man of the year voting behind Oklahoma City Thunder
guard James Harden.
“Happy to be a part of a team that's similar to the Sixers...Young, athletic, and hardworking," Williams tweeted on Tuesday evening.
Philadelphia had picked Williams out of high school as a second round draft pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. He opted out of his contract which would have paid him $5.3 million after talks broke down with the Sixers in the off season.
The Sixers went ahead and signed free agent Nick Young as a replacement.
Now, the Atlanta Hawks have hired his services for a reported $5 million mid level exception. The Hawks have been quite aggressive in the offseason this year as they look to improve their roster and make a team that is capable
of making a deep run in the playoffs.
Atlanta have been reaching the playoffs consistently over the past few years but have been unable to make a deep run in the playoffs. Now, they have traded forward Joe Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets for a number of players and a
first round pick. They also have a deal in place to trade forward Marvin Williams to the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Devin Harris.
The Atlanta Hawks also have a solid rookie in John Jenkins joining them this season. Jenkins was picked up by the Hawks in the first round of this year’s NBA Draft. He signed his contract on Tuesday, before joining the team’s rookie
camp.
Jenkins is a formidable scorer who will give the Hawks an offensive push. In what little Hawks coach Larry Drew has seen of the young player, he has been impressed;
“He's a guy we're really looking to come in here and put the ball in the basket. I mean, that's what he does. He's one of the best I've seen in quite some time as far as shooting the basketball,” said Drew.
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