The Hawks are finalizing a deal to send Kyle Korver to the Cavaliers. The news was first reported by The Vertical. Korver confirmed the news that he has been traded following the Hawks win over the Pelicans Thursday.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that the Hawks will receive a 2019 protected first-round pick and Mike Dunleavy in deal. It’s unlikely that Dunleavy will remain with the Hawks long term.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer could not address the matter since the trade is not official. Korver did address reporters following the game.
Korver was with the Hawks before Thursday’s game and upon arriving at the arena, Budenholzer pulled Korver into a side room. Korver was in the locker room getting dressed during media availability. Korver was in uniform and on the Hawks bench. He did not play. Rookie DeAndre Bembry entered the game in the first quarter and it was a clear sign that Korver was being held out.
Budenholzer said before the game there were no plans to rest any players with the Hawks playing the second of back-to-back games and a third in four days on Saturday.
A Cavaliers executive was in Atlanta last week to watch Korver.
Korver address trade speculation earlier this week.
“The NBA is a great job,” Korver said. “It’s a great job. I wouldn’t have any other job. But living stability is not one of the strengths of this job. You don’t know where you are going to be tomorrow. We don’t get to plan things out. That’s just part of this great job that we get to do.
“Last year there was all this talk and nothing happened. Who knows? We don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors. The Hawks are going to do what is best for them.”
Korver has appeared in 32 games this season, including 21 starts. He was recently replaced in the starting lineup by Thabo Sefolosha. He averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28 minutes. He is shooting .441 from the field and .409 from 3-point range.
Korver, 35, will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He will make $5,239,437 this season. In his four-plus seasons with the Hawks, Korver shot .462 from 3-point range.
“The first time I got traded I was really thrown be the whole things because you are like ‘Man, somebody doesn’t want you. Somebody gave you away,’” Korver said this week. “It hurt. Then this veteran player said ‘It’s because someone wanted you more.’ If you are in trade rumors, that means that someone else wants you. It’s not just that someone doesn’t want you.”
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