It's a faulty assumption, ESPN is told, to presume that Hawks free agent-to-be Al Harrington is certain to be dealt between now and the Feb. 23 trade deadline.

With the Hawks possessing the salary-cap flexibility next summer to match or trump any offers Harrington gets, they haven't abandoned the idea of extending the relationship. NBA front-office sources thus say that Atlanta won't part with the swingman before the deadline unless A) the trade fills a clear need and B) the trade delivers a first-round pick or two to replace the first-rounders that went out in the Joe Johnson extravaganza.

Letting Harrington finish the season in Atlanta would put the Hawks at risk for losing an asset without compensation, so his name will continue to circulate in trade scenarios. Yet the Hawks figure that, if they can't re-sign Harrington or even if they elect not to, they'll have opportunities in the summer to participate in a sign-and-trade to prevent losing him for nothing.

It's a stance that apparently helped convince Atlanta to withdraw from the original three-way deal that would have landed Ron Artest in Denver. The Pacers had some hesitation about acquiring Harrington, because the financial constraints in Indy these days would have made it tough to keep Harrington around, but the Hawks also decided that a package of Nene and Earl Watson wasn't sufficiently enticing given Watson's long-term contract and the absence of picks.

The Hawks, furthermore, will have a decent shot at signing Nene in the summer without giving up anything now for the injured Brazilian, who'll be a restricted free agent.