ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club has signed guard/forward Daniel Hamilton and forward Alex Poythress, it was announced today. Poythress’ contract is a two-way contract.
Hamilton spent last season on a two-way contact with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League. In six games with the Thunder, he averaged 2.0 points and 1.3 assists in 4.7 minutes (.455 FG%, .400 3FG%). He started 45 games with the Blue, averaging 16.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.8 minutes (.406 FG%, .813 FT%).
As a rookie in 2016-17, Hamilton appeared in 49 contests (47 starts) with the Blue, compiling 14.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 31.2 minutes (.426 FG%, .374 3FG%, .767 FT%).
Following two seasons at Connecticut, Hamilton was selected with the 56th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft by Denver, before his rights were traded to Oklahoma City in exchange for cash considerations.
As a sophomore for the Huskies, he was one of two Division I players in the country (joining Ben Simmons) with 450 points, 300 rebounds and 150 assists. On the season, he averaged 12.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 31.9 minutes, which earned him Second Team All-AAC honors.
A native of Los Angeles, CA, he attended Crenshaw High School before transferring to St. John Bosco for his final two seasons. He will wear No. 5.
Poythress (POY-thress) finished last season with the Indiana Pacers, where he appeared in 25 games. He began the season on a two-way contract with the Pacers and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (originally signing on August 22, 2017), before his contract was converted on December 28, 2017.
In seven starts with the Mad Ants, he averaged 20.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks in 24.0 minutes (.482 FG%, .675 FT%).
As a rookie in 2016-17, the 6’9” forward signed a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on April 1, 2017 and averaged 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 26.2 minutes (.463 FG%, .800 FT%) in six contests. He also appeared in 46 games (45 starts) with the Mad Ants prior to signing with the 76ers, and put in 18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 blocks in 31.1 minutes (.528 FG%, .403 3FG%, .783 FT%). Poythress earned All-NBA G League Second Team and All-NBA G League Rookie team honors, also earning a spot in the NBA G League All-Star Game that season.
In four seasons at University of Kentucky (2012-16), he finished his career with 966 points, 597 rebounds and 77 blocks, becoming the 12th player in program history with at least 900 points, 500 rebounds and 70 blocks. As a senior in 2015-16, Poythress compiled 10.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 23.6 minutes (.601 FG%, .706 FT%), playing 31 games and starting 23.
He was named Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball following his senior year at Northeast High School in Clarksville, TN, also earning Parade and McDonald’s All-America honors. Poythress was born in Savannah, GA. He will wear No. 22.
Only players with three-or-fewer years of NBA experience are permitted to sign two-way contracts. Per league rules, teams are allowed to have up to two two-way players on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster. A two-way player for the Hawks will primarily play for the team’s NBA G League Affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, but can spend up to 45 days with Atlanta, not including any time prior to the start of Erie’s training camp and after the conclusion of their season.