Hawks Likely To Re-Sign Pero Antic
Pero Antic is one of the members of this season’s breakout Atlanta Hawks team that makes a significant impact off the bench. Antic gives the Hawks a different look at the five and could certainly be valuable elsewhere, but as he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he would like very much to stay in Atlanta:
“From your mouth to God’s ears, we say,” Antic said when asked if he would like to return to the Hawks. “I love it. I love the guys. I love everything. I couldn’t be happier to come. The coaching staff, to be so similar to Europe, to be so understanding of the players, rarely you can find that.”
The feeling is clearly mutual, as Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer gave his praise for Antic:
“He’s a good part of our core, our substance, our locker room,” Budenholzer said. “Then, the way he plays on the court, I think he’s done a ton to be somebody you want to be a part of your team going forward.
“The summer and free agency is a ways off but we love him.”
Antic, a Macedonian forward in his second year in the league, brings the Hawks a toughness factor. Offensively, where the Hawks have been brilliant this season, he’s a stretch-five for this team with his shooting range. Thus the center position doesn’t drop off when Al Horford is out of the game.
The Hawks will do their best to keep this group together. Antic is only making $1.25 million this season, where he hasn’t been too efficient. There shouldn’t be much hassle for an agreement since both sides are so satisfied.
