The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the contract option on guard Royal Ivey for the 2006-07 season, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Billy Knight. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Now entering his third campaign with the Hawks, the 6-foot-3 guard started 66 games last year (playing in 73), posting 3.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg and 1.0 apg (.439 FG%, .727 FT%). Ivey ranked 1st among all NBA guards in fewest turnovers per 48 minutes (1.1). He committed only 23 miscues the entire season (in 978 minutes).

The University of Texas product was originally drafted by the Hawks with the 37th overall pick (second round) in the 2004 NBA Draft. He?s averaged 3.6 ppg, 1.3 apg and 1.3 rpg (.435 FG%, .710 FT%) in 135 career contests (71 starting assignments).

Knight also announced the club has declined to exercise a contract option for guard Donta Smith.

The Bulls will try to acquire some size with their $15M of cap room as they go into the free agency negotiating period on Saturday, with Detroit bruiser Ben Wallace and Atlanta tweener Al Harrington the best bets to get the first calls, the Chicago Tribune is reporting.

While Othella Harrington and Darius Songaila are unlikely to return, the Bulls may also look towards Portland big man Joel Przybilla, Nazr Mohommed from San Antonio and Cleveland restricted free agent Drew Gooden, all of whom the Bulls have a stronger chance of securing than they do for Wallace.

Denver forward Nene is also a possibility, according to the Tribune, but the Nuggets have made Nene and Carmelo Anthony their off season priorities.

Teams choosing below Atlanta can thank the Hawks should players suprisingly drop below the fifth pick thanks to the rumored promise the team has made to Duke bruiser Shelden Williams, but there is a bizarre twist.

According to the Boston Globe, Williams said he has never worked out for the Hawks.

Andy Katz of ESPN is reporting that multiple sources confirmed to him that Shelden Williams has indeed received a promise from the Atlanta Hawks.

This promise has long been reported and the Hawks appear to not be wavering despite the uncertainty in the top-five.

Are the Hawks and Rockets discussing a draft day deal which would land Brandon Roy in a Rockets uniform?

According to a report by Draft Express, the Hawks would draft Roy at pick 5 and trade him to the Rockets for former Illinois guard Luther Head and the rights to Shelden Williams, who the Rockets would take at pick 8 for the Hawks.

The deal would be contingent on both players being available when the teams make their selections.

Atlanta would be interested in dealing for Allen Iverson, but won?t depart with young forward Marvin Williams, according to Gerry Woelfel.

A Maryland judge has ruled that Steve Belkin now has the option to buyout his estranged partners and become the owner of the Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers.

The judge ruled that the seven other owners violated the timetable of their agreement to buyout Belkin's 30 percent stake. This means Belkin is entitled to purchase their interests at cost.

The Atlanta Spirit LLC ? a group led by Washington businessmen Bruce Levenson and Ed Peskowitz, and Atlantans Michael Gearon Jr. and Rutherford Seydel ? indicated they will appeal the ruling.

"We have just received the court's 23-page decision," Levenson said Friday night, reading from a prepared statement. "The decision is wrong, both on the law and on the facts. We will review our options with our legal counsel, but we expect that the decision will be overturned on appeal."