The Atlanta Hawks got a little bit bigger for the playoffs, inking 6-foot-11 forward Magnum Rolle to a contract. The 25-year-old native of Freeport in the Bahamas was a second round pick (51st overall) in the 2010 draft. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder before his rights were traded to the Indiana Pacers.
↵Rolle appeared in five preseason games before he was cut by the Pacers.
↵He landed in the NBA Development League, where he was the third selection in the NBDL's draft. The former LSU and Lousiana Tech standout posted 14.1 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game in 15 contests (seven starts) with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA's farm league. He missed part of the year with a knee injury.
↵Rolle played one season at LSU before finishing his collegiate career at Louisiana Tech. He posted 13.9 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game in 34 games in his senior season with Tech, while leading the WAC with an average of 2.1 blocks per game.
↵He should provide depth off the bench for Atlanta in a first round matchup against the Orlando Magic where the Hawks will do everything they can to front and frustrate former Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy Dwight Howard.
↵Rolle was named Magnum after the fictional TV character by his mother, who loved Tom Selleck and "Magnum P.I." and was dressed up in Hawaiian shirts as a kid. He is also distant cousins with former NFL players Samari, Myron and Antrel Rolle.