There’s no shortage of teams who’d like a shot at Chris Paul (above) and Dwight Howard this offseason, but given that neither become unrestricted free agents until July 1, only a franchise begging the NBA to issue a hefty fine would make a public statement about either player. However, that’s just what the Atlanta Hawks did this week, targeting pootential ticket buyers with a sales pitch that specifically mentions two players currently under contract elsewhere. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Chris Viviamore :
The letter, obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was sent via email by a member of the ticket-sales department. It was on team letterhead and headlined “Hot New Player news: Chris Paul and Dwight Howard.” It began with the statement: “The buzz around our offseason is more than heating up. With massive cap space, 4 draft picks, and free agency rapidly approaching, we sit in the best position in the NBA. Player interest is skyrocketing as the possibilities of landing Chris Paul & Dwight Howard become more and more of a reality.”
The letter included a link to a story on ESPN.com reporting that Paul was unhappy with the notion that he played a role in the dismissal of coach Vinny Del Negro last month.
“This is your opportunity to get on board before its (sic) too late. Once we solidify our signings there will be no seats left,” the letter added.