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Former Pacer Alex Poythress is joining the Atlanta Hawks

By Tony East

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Alex Poythress #0 of the Indiana Pacers goes to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 11, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Alex Poythress #0 of the Indiana Pacers goes to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 11, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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After being waived by the Indiana Pacers in early July, Alex Poythress has finally found a home. He will be joining the Atlanta Hawks.

Alex Poythress had an unprecedented year for the Indiana Pacers. It wasn’t that he rewrote the record books or even put up some crazy stats. It was that he became the first player in Pacers history to have his two-way contract converted to a full NBA deal.

Granted, it was the first year of the existence of the two-way contract. But Poythress still paved the path for future two-way players to have a route to the big leagues, and that is great for future young players in any organization.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t a part of the Indiana Pacers future plans and they waived him in early July. It wasn’t that he wasn’t good enough, it just shook out that there wasn’t enough room on the roster. His salary was non-guaranteed this season, so it was an easy-ish decision for Kevin Pritchard to make.

But Poythress has landed back on his feet and is betting on himself again. He is joining the Atlanta Hawks:

What I mean by betting on himself is that he is taking another two-way contract. When he was on one in Indiana, he played well and it turned into a full NBA contract. Presumably, he thinks the same thing can happen in Atlanta.

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Additionally, the Hawks are known for doing a great job developing wings. Poythress could foresee a situation where signing with the Hawks improves his long-term outlook as a player and increases his value in the future. Atlanta is a solid place for him.

Poythress only played in 25 games for the Pacers, but he made his presence felt with a career-high shooting percentage from three-point range and serviceable wing defense. He played big minutes for the team in late December, including a 22-minute performance against Detroit where AP was a +15 even though the Pacers got thumped. He never got a ton of minutes with the normal rotation, but where he did he usually left a positive impact.

Next: What if Domantas Sabonis took another step forward next season?

Poythress’ time with the Pacers was short, but he paved the way for future two-way players. We wish him the best as he continues his journey in Atlanta.

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