Looking to fill the void left when Josh Childress bolted for Greece, the Atlanta Hawks are close to completing a deal with free agent Maurice Evans. A person within the league, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been completed, told The Associated Press on Sunday a deal could be signed by midweek. Evans started 47 times for the Magic last season and averaged a career-high 9.3 points. He would fill the sixth-man role left by Childress, a restricted free agent who stunned the Hawks last week by signing with Greek powerhouse Olympiakos. The Hawks would be Evans' sixth team in seven NBA seasons.

Childress received a three-year deal that will guarantee him at least $20 million after taxes. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Evans would come much cheaper to the Hawks, who were believed to be working on a three-year deal worth about $7.5 million.

Evans, 6-foot-5, can shift between guard and forward, much as Childress did for the Hawks. Still, the 29-year-old Evans would have to be considered a significant drop-off from a younger player who averaged in double figures each of his first four seasons in the league, including 11.8 a year ago to help Atlanta reach the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

Atlanta can only hope Evans plays as well as he did against the Hawks in April. He scored a career-high 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting in a 121-105 win at Philips Arena.

Evans also has played with Minnesota, Sacramento, Detroit and the Los Angeles Lakers, who dealt him to Orlando early last season.

Written By PAUL NEWBERRY

Email To A Friend