Outdoor sunbathing in March probably isn't a thing for most Atlantans, but for Kris Humphries, it was just right.
Humphries has played in a lot of places in his 12-year career: Utah, Toronto, New Jersey, Brooklyn, Boston, Washington. Prior to landing in Atlanta, Humphries had played 694 of his 723 career games in those cold-weather locales.
"The weather has been amazing, sitting out on the rooftop, hanging out after practice, getting some sun," Humphries, who also played briefly in Dallas and Phoenix, said of Atlanta. "I haven't played on too many teams where you can do that."
The Hawks signed Humphries on March 1, and the fans quickly warmed to him, especially in the playoffs. In Game 3 of the second-round series against Cleveland, he entered the game to an ovation.
Humphries did not disappoint. Even in defeat, his play in Games 3 and 4 was nothing short of spectacular. In the two games combined, he scored 17 points, collected 11 rebounds and blocked 5 shots in 32 total minutes.
Humphries will be a free agent this summer, but he said that he views a return to Atlanta as a possibility. He also said that he appreciated being on a team as deep and balanced as the Hawks.
"I haven't been on a team that was this good defensively," he said.
Humphries said that he hopes to work on his long-distance shooting in this summer. Prior to this season, Humphries had only made 2 three-point shots in his career.
"No one thought I could start shooting the 3-ball at age 30," he said.
But he shot them -- and he shot them well. Humphries made 34 of 108 three point attempts in the regular season, plus 5 of 10 in the playoffs.
If Humphries continues to make progress with the shot this offseason, he could soon be scorching the nets in a warm-weather city near you.
Story by KL ChouinardTwitter: @KLChouinard