Dinamo Sassari Cuts Keith Benson After Four Games

Per Michael Cunningham, Dinamo Sassari have cut Keith Benson:

Dinamo Sassari waived Hawks draftee Keith “Kito” Benson. Benson’s mother, Janice Hale, called it a “mutual parting of ways” and said Benson will work out at Oakland (Mich.) University with a focus on building his strength.

Benson's stats

Sportando Basket tweeted details to Cunningham:

@ajchawks he didn't show his skillse.He had a tough and difficult task, to replace one of the idols of Sassari's fans, Othello Hunter

Othello Hunter.

Which isn't to say that Benson wasn't a perfectly cromulent use of the 48th pick in the draft so much as to remind everyone that the 48th pick in the draft is highly unlikely to contribute in Serie A, much less the NBA. I've always liked Hunter and Benson's superior length might be sufficient for him to carve out the NBA role that has eluded Hunter, as an undersized four, thus far.

2009-10 Season Review: End of the Bench

Previously: Joe Smith, Maurice Evans, Mike Bibby, Zaza Pachulia, Marvin Williams, Jamal Crawford, Al Horford, Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, Mike Woodson, Rick Sund

Mario West

West played 142 minutes after his shock return to the team in January. For the second straight year he scored more points than he committed fouls, a task made difficult by him playing 33 more defensive than offensive possessions. His is a fascinating and remarkable career. He's played 156 games in the NBA. In 57 of those games (36.5%), he played less than one minute. Fifteen percent of his career minutes have come in three end-of-season dead rubbers (4/14/09, 4/15/09, and 4/14/10).

Randolph Morris

Morris saw a bit more action (124 minutes over 28 games, the latter a career high) in the second year of his contract with the Hawks. It was far and away the most productive season of his NBA career. He raised his career FG% almost 70 points (up to 42.6%), raised his career FT% by 33 points (up to 54.5%), and doubled his career rate of points/36 minutes. His size could give him future opportunities, but the lack of athleticism which keeps him from grabbing offensive rebounds (27 in 438 career minutes) and constantly fouling (100 in 438 career minutes) will likely preclude him from contributing in any meaningful way.

Jason Collins

115 minutes, 21 fouls, 16 points, 14 rebounds, and 4:49 of useful basketball. It appears I may have overestimated what Collins had left.

Othello Hunter

Hunter played 33 unmemorable minutes in 7 games before the Hawks waived him days prior to his contract becoming guaranteed. He moved on to Ilisiakos in the Greek league and played 9 games for them, averaging 10 points and 7 rebounds in just under 23 minutes a game.

Hawks Waive Othello Hunter

Press release:

The Atlanta Hawks today requested waivers on forward Othello Hunter, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund.

Hunter appeared in seven games this season, and averaged 1.6 ppg and 1.7 rpg in 4.7 mpg (.333 FG%, .750 FT%). He played in 16 games with Atlanta last season as a rookie, and had four playoff appearances.

Overall, in 23 career regular season games with the Hawks, Hunter compiled 1.4 ppg and 1.6 rpg in 5.4 mpg (.469 FG%, .333 FT%). Hunter, who was undrafted, played collegiately at Ohio State.

In other news, as of January 10th, all contracts become guaranteed. Let the 10-day contracts commence shortly.

Honesty, As Always, The Best Policy

Mike Woodson on Joe Smith's absence:

"We can always play Al at the 4, Marvin at the 4. If I don't feel comfortable with 'O,' I can go that route."

I count the "if" as being both honest and polite.

Joe Smith Out Friday, Questionable For Sunday

Per Ken Sugiura:

Joe Smith won’t be making the trip to Toronto. He’ll stay home for treatment, and Othello Hunter will be activated in his place. It’s possible Smith could play Sunday against New Jersey, but it would seem like that’d be an outside shot, perhaps somewhat dependent on what Hunter does against Toronto. Mike Woodson said Marvin Williams could be an option at 4 behind Al Horford if he doesn’t get what he wants from Hunter.

I suspect that, especially considering the opponent, Marvin Williams is far more likely to play minutes at the four than is Othello Hunter. Though, again considering the opponent, I should probably qualify that suspicion with some sort of garbage time proviso. Plus, Mo Evans raised his eFG% by 47 points in 23 minutes last night. He's got to want another shot at the Toronto efense.

Courtney Sims Is Coming To Camp

Buried beneath Joe Smith quote catering to intagiphiles and confirmation of the coming addition of Jason Collins* Sekou Smith shared this interesting tidbit yesterday:

Second-year forward Othello Hunter has committed to attend the Hawks’ training camp, which kicks off late next month.

He’ll join a growing list of camp invitees that already includes rookie free agent Garrett Siler, Frank Robinson and Courtney Sims.

Good news about Othello Hunter. The Hawks could do worse** than keep a fifth big man who could, if called upon, rebound and defend the four without embarrassment.

Even better news about Courtney Sims. He hasn't stuck in the NBA, playing 24 minutes in five games for three teams over the last two seasons, but in 1573 minutes in the D-League he's been outstanding, averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Inviting the reigning D-League MVP to camp demonstrates an increased organizational interest in both the D-League as a development system and in deepening the pool of potential bench players beyond veterans whose recent career (and less-recent fame) makes one hope they remain well down the depth chart and locals whose careers make no strong case for their involvement in the NBA in any sort of playing capacity.

*More on him when it's official.

**And, as it looks possible they'll end up with four centers on the roster, this may cease to be a hypothetical.

2008-09 Season Review: The End of the Bench

Mario West

The most specialized* specialist in the NBA, putative energy guy, and offensive rebounder of such abandonment that he might be classified as a health risk Mario West accomplished at least two things in his (baffling in its very existence) second NBA season:

1. He scored more points than he committed fouls.
2. He proved that he cannot contribute at all on the offensive end.

West failed to match even the low offensive standard of his rookie season by shooting far less often, making a lower percentage of his shots, turning the ball over far more often, and making less than half of his free throws.

*Useful for harassing the opposition's best perimeter player while he dribbles down the clock on an end of quarter possession.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Every day that Mario West spends on the Hawks' roster is an indictment of the organization's competence. Certainly seems like a nice guy, though.

Thomas Gardner

Gardner got just 98 minutes to attempt to prove he's becoming something more than the high-volume, low-percentage, high-turnover, non-defending player he was at Missouri. He made 9 of 36 shots, 4 of 23 three-pointers, earned two assists, turned the ball over three times, and never had to play defense. There's little indication why he was on the roster beyond league rules limiting how few players a team can employ.

Othello Hunter

Hunter only played 92 minutes but, because he demonstrated a potentially useful skill set (rebounding, not taking bad shots) at Ohio State, I suspect he's the most likely of the players discussed in this post to carve out an NBA career though his upside is likely as a fifth big man who won't kill a team if he's pressed into duty for a couple of weeks due to injuries to a couple of bigger, better players.

I have no idea why he didn't spend more time in the D-League.

Randolph Morris

Signing Randolph Morris seemed like a risk-free acquisition with potential benefits last summer. Today it seems more like a waste of time than money. The few times he left the bench he looked, understandably, nowhere near game shape. Morris has played just 314 minutes in two-plus NBA seasons, making 35.8% of his field goal attempts, 51.3% of his free throws, and committing a turnover or a foul every three-and-three-quarter minutes he's on the floor.

Speedy Claxton

Claxton's in the final year of the four-year deal he signed in the summer of 2006. The $5.2 million left on that deal now stands as an expiring contract and presents, perhaps, the first and last bit of value the organization will get from that deal.

D-League Roundup

Othello Hunter

• Scored 12 points (6-16 FGA, 0-4 FTA) and grabbed 11 rebounds (5 offensive) on 2/18.
• Scored 3 points (1-9 FGA, 1-2 FTA) and grabbed 8 rebounds (3 offensive) on 2/20.
• Scored 10 points (5-12 FGA) and grabbed 11 rebounds (6 offensive) on 2/21.

Thomas Gardner

• Scored 21 points (8-16 FGA, 3-7 3PTA, 2-2 FTA) in 26:13. Added 1 assist and turned the ball over three times on 2/20.
• Scored 26 points (9-16, 1-6 3PTA, 7-9 FTA) in 31:06. Grabbed 7 rebounds, had an assist, and just one turnover.

I'll total up their lines and calculate the advanced stats once it's confirmed that they're rejoining the Hawks. Anaheim doesn't play again until the 27th, so it may be a couple of days before we know for sure.