Marvin Williams could be moved out of Atlanta according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Spears reports that "two general managers" have grumbled that Atlanta Hawks GM Rick Sund is shopping the former No. 2 overall pick, but Williams' salary is the biggest stumbling block to any imminent departure.
The Atlanta forward is owed around $16 million over the next two seasons and has a player option worth $7.5 million for the 2013-14 campaign. That's a steep price for any team to pay for a third or fourth option at the trade deadline.
According to numerous reports, more realistic deal we'll be seeing Sund make in the next few days could involve Cleveland Cavaliers PG Ramon Sessions. Numerous media outlets have reported that the Hawks are interested in adding Sessions, who would see time at the point.
However, two obstacles remain in consummating a deal. Atlanta's offering price of a second round pick is too low and violates the salary cap unless the value of the trade exemption the Hawks received from the Phoenix Suns in the Josh Childress deal is greater than $3.9 million. (ESPN.com has the value of the exemption at $3.65 million, but other published reports have the exemption value both higher and lower than that amount).
Sessions makes around $4 million this season. Under NBA rules, a trade exemption can only be used in a trade for a player that makes $100,000 more than the value of the exemption. If the value of the Childress exemption is $3.65 million, a trade for Sessions at $4 million does not work.
You also can not add a low salaried player (like Pape Sy $475K) to the trade exemption to effectuate the trade. Thus, if the exemption is too small, a similarly salaried player or players would need to be involved in the deal.
If the Hawks were somehow able to use the exemption and add Sessions without subtracting a body, they will have to cut a guaranteed contract. However, the Hawks will go into the luxury tax with any big roster addition.
Ownership is willing to go into the tax if they believe the team has a chance of competing for the Eastern Conference crown.
Sessions' stock rose after he was handed the starting gig after Mo Williams got hurt. The Myrtle Beach, S.C. native is averaging over 12 points and 5 assists per game this season. He is slated to make $4.25 million next year and $4.5 million in the 2012-13 campaign.