Hawks Reportedly Waive PG Royal Ivey

Oct 22, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks point guard Royal Ivey (10) attempts to get past Indiana Pacers center Ian Mahinmi (28) to shoot a basket in the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time since James Johnson was waived on Monday, the Atlanta Hawks have reportedly made a move to narrow down their roster.

According to the AJC’s Chris Vivlamore, the team has waived point guard Royal Ivey, likely paving the way for Shelvin Mack to make the regular season roster. The 31-year-old Ivey appeared in 3 preseason games for the Hawks this season, playing 18.0 minutes per game and averaging 3.7 points (on just 20% FG) and 2.7 assists per contest.

Ivey was a member of the Hawks during the first 3 seasons of his career (2004 – 2007), but it isn’t a surprise to see him waived by the team. He was operating on a non-guaranteed training camp contract, and he was presumably brought in to provide training camp depth and competition for the 3rd point guard position.

It’s important to note that the Hawks parting ways with Ivey does not necessarily guarantee a spot for Shelvin Mack. The Hawks could easily decide to operate with just 2 point guards (Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder) until Lou Williams returns, and that would leave Mack in the cold. With a gun to my head, I’d certainly predict that Mack is picked up for the regular season (at least until the January 10th for guaranteeing contracts), but it’s not a given.

Stay tuned for more roster news as the team closes in on the start of the regular season.