Of course Zaza Pachulia is staying. He's a Georgia boy.
Checking the fine print, that's Georgia, as in the former Soviet republic. But the Atlanta Hawks enforcer must have cottoned to his newer Georgia, having agreed to a fresh contract.
Z made $16 mil during his previous four years in the A-T-L. When details of this deal dribble out, it will confirm a hefty raise.
He's not an especially skilled big man, but who is these days? More importantly, keeping Pach-man further suggests the Hawks are a welcome destination for NBA players, which wasn't always so.
Point guard Mike Bibby also has re-upped, leaving forward Marvin Williams as the remaining Hawks unknown in the free agent season that officially began Wednesday. With Williams' return likely -- he's a restricted free agent, with less bargaining power than the unrestricteds -- there doesn't seem room at the inn anymore for guard Flip Murray.
I'm not a huge basketball fan, but I am liking their moves so far. A lot of shooters, a couple of decent big men (with another to come?).
Team rule: Don't give Josh the ball unless he's below the foul line.
Mario West is certainly gone, and even though Flip is probably gone too, ya' gotta think that Crawford is an upgrade.