HoopsHype.com Rumors

The Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards are nearing a deal that would send Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong to Atlanta in exchange for Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans and Jordan Crawford. The trade hasn't been finalized, but the deal is expected to be completed before tomorrow's deadline. HoopsWorld

Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Trade, Kirk Hinrich, Hilton Armstrong, Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans 

Michael Lee: Kirk Hinrich not playing tonight. #wizards in talks with ATL (for Jordan Crawford), but no deal yet. Could happen soon, according to source Twitter

Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Trade, Kirk Hinrich, Hilton Armstrong, Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans 

Michael Lee: I'm hearing it's Kirk Hinrich & Hilton Armstrong for Jordan Crawford, Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans & 2011 No. 1 pick. Close, not done. Twitter

Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, Trade, Kirk Hinrich, Hilton Armstrong, Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans 

Tom Withers: Have it on good authority that Cavaliers NOT involved in Wizards-Hawks deal. Twitter

Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Trade, Kirk Hinrich, Hilton Armstrong, Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans 

Hilton Armstrong: "Guys took real heat into it, paid real attention to it and got real excited about it. I guess we do need a little speech to motivate us right before the game. A couple of games ago, when coach [Randy] Wittman took over, he was really excited. He was like 'I believe we could win,' and everybody got hyped. We came out and won that game, and I think we needed a little mental uplifting before this game." John Wall: "If one person's not playing well, you got to help them out as a team. You got to step up and pick it up for him and wait until he catches his rhythm." Bullets Forever

Washington Wizards, John Wall, Hilton Armstrong, Flip Saunders 

Hilton Armstrong had a hard time watching replays of the shove that led to his one-game suspension this week. The sight of Miami reserve center Joel Anthony's arms and legs flailing in different directions before he landed hard on his backside "was real scary," Armstrong said on Friday. "It put chills in me. I didn't mean for that to happen at all." He knew that a suspension was coming the moment he was ejected from the Wizards' 105-94 loss to the Heat on Monday. But he was still surprised that he was in that position, since he never had a reputation for making dirty plays or being some sort of enforcer. "It caught me off guard," he said. "Kind of shocked me, because I never thought, me of all people, would have to go through something like that. I know I'm not that type of guy or anything." Washington Post

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Joel Anthony, Hilton Armstrong 

The Wizards' Hilton Armstrong has been suspended for one game for his flagrant foul, penalty two on the Heat's Joel Anthony during Monday's game in Miami, announced Stu Jackson, NBA executive vice president basketball operations. From the NBA's news release: The incident, in which Armstrong made contact by shoving Anthony during a layup attempt and was ejected following the Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two call, occurred with :32 remaining in the 3rd period of the Wizards 105-94 loss to the Heat Monday at AmericanAirlines Arena. Armstrong will serve his suspension tonight when the Wizards face the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Hilton Armstrong 

To earn the suspension, Armstrong shoved Anthony out of the air during a lay-up attempt with both hands, causing Anthony to crash to the floor like a character from The Matrix. Heat forward Juwan Howard then rushed to Anthony's defense, pushing Armstrong to the ground from behind, which led to some jawing between the teams. Armstrong was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and immediately ejected from the game. Howard was also ejected after a video review of the incident. The altercation occurred at the :32 mark of the third quarter, with the Heat leading comfortably, 80-68. Here's the must-watch video of the entire incident again. CBSSports.com

Washington Wizards, Hilton Armstrong 

Dropping in on new Washington Wizards Hilton Armstrong and Kevin Seraphin as they signed autographs during a Verizon Center open house on Thursday, a brief conversation with the former revealed that perhaps not all the players have found out that the team will open training camp with Midnight Madness at 12 a.m. on Sept. 28 at Patriot Center. “I didn’t hear about it,” said Armstrong. “Just like college, that’s how their doing it? It’s fun – as long as there’s a big crowd. I don’t want to do it with like six people there. If it’s a good crowd, then it’ll definitely be fun.” Washington Examiner

Washington Wizards, Kevin Seraphin, Hilton Armstrong 

One of Hilton Armstrong's least fondest basketball memories came at Verizon Center, where his heavily-favored Connecticut Huskies -- featuring future first-round picks Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams and Armstrong -- got upset by George Mason, 86-84, in the Elite Eight of the 2006 NCAA Tournament. "Why do you have to bring that up? I don't even think about that anymore," said Armstrong, who may have not have a choice but to remember that loss if the Wizards decide to hold their training camp at the Patriot Center, on the campus of George Mason University in late September. On Tuesday, Armstrong became the latest addition to the Wizards when he agreed to a one-year deal believed to be worth the veteran minimum of $992,680. The contract won't get signed and the final details won't get fully ironed out until Wednesday, but the 6-foot-11 Armstrong joked that it was actually "a one-year, $20-million deal, or something like that." Washington Post

Washington Wizards, Free Agency, Hilton Armstrong 

Michael Lee: Hilton Armstrong sounded pretty excited about joining the Wiz. Asked what is deal was worth, he said, "1 year, $20 mil, something like that" Twitter

Washington Wizards, Free Agency, Hilton Armstrong