The Mavericks agreed to send their top-5 protected 2019 first-rounder to the Hawks as part of the Luka Doncic draft night trade last June. Entering the NBA draft lottery, Dallas had hoped to keep this year’s pick and delay conveying the selection.
Assistant GM Keith Grant told Chris Kirschner of the Athletic that the Mavs would have liked to add another young piece to the Doncic-Kristaps Porzingis nucleus. Still, the team views last year’s trade as a win for both parties.
“We actually do believe that,” Grant said about both teams getting the guy they wanted. “We evaluated every player and thought Luka was our guy. Atlanta obviously had Trae as theirs, and so we had a deal.”
The trade between Dallas and Atlanta had been agreed to prior to the actual draft but was contingent on both Doncic and Trae Young being available at No. 3 and No. 5, respectively.
The Hawks are armed with two top-10 draft selections in this year’s draft and Kirschner passes along more from Atlanta:
- It would be surprising if the Hawks didn’t pick a wing, assuming they stay at the No. 8 spot, Kirschner hears from sources within the organization. Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver has been linked to Atlanta but it’s hard to envision him falling out of the top seven.
- Zion Williamson and Ja Morant are widely expected to be the top two picks in the draft. One Hawks executive told Kirschner that he expects three other players—R.J. Barrett, Darius Garland, and Coby White—to be unavailable when Atlanta makes its first selection at No. 8. The Suns and Bulls both covet upgrades at the point guard spot and Garland and White are the best available after Morant.
- The Hawks have interest in Cam Reddish. While he failed to live up to lofty expectations at Duke, there’s “not much doubt” within Atlanta’s organization that playing alongside Young, John Collins, and Kevin Huerter would allow him to reach his potential, Kirschner adds.
- Coach Lloyd Pierce prefers a center who can stretch the floor but that wouldn’t stop the team from selecting Jaxson Hayes if he’s the best player on the board at No. 10. “Roster building isn’t always about trying to perfectly pair up guys,” a source tells Kirschner.
- Multiple sources tell Kirschner that the team likes Bruno Fernando out of Maryland. The big man likely isn’t in play with one of the Hawks‘ two top-10 selections, but the franchise holds three second-round picks (No. 35, No. 41, No. 44).
As good as Luka was this year, it’s hard to say that Atlanta didn’t get the better of this deal. Trae Young was basically Luka’s equal. If not, just a hair below him. Plus, Atlanta gets another top 10 to go along with him.
This is the epitome of a win-win trade. Or perhaps a win-slightly bigger win trade, but that doesn’t really roll off the tongue.
They were not even close to equals
Meanwhile season Stats say they pretty much are. The point he was making is that Dallas sudden’t have gave Atlanta their first round pic when Luka and Trae came out to be a fair trade by itself.
Bol Bol & Naz Reid are stretch 5s, but 10 is too soon and 35 too late. Maybe Claxton Miller at 35 though he’s rising. Better take Bol at 10 and cover the risk with Reddish at 8.
They are both risk bol bols injury could affect his career length and it even starting at all….as tantalizing as he is he comes with big red flags too
Cam Reddish would be a perfect fit in Atl at the shooting guard or small forward. Will he drop to eight? It’s possible, but we also have the assets to move up if he is our guy. If we are able to land Cam at 8…. Hayes, Bol, and Doumbouya all become potential picks at 10. And if Cam is there at 8, we do have the assets and cap space to make a trade to try and get two of those 3. Hypothetically…… if Charlotte is desperate to retain Kemba and need the room to entice him and another FA, we have the cap room to take on bad money former Hawk Marvin Williams or B. Biyombo or M. Kidd-Gillcrest or Cody Zelker inexchange for the #12 pick. It’d take including the 2020 unprotected right to swap pick along with #12 for me to take the 2 years left on Batun’s contract. and I say that knowing he could help this team! Still 25 & 27 mil left on a contract for a rotation piece is extremely steep!
You also have the Timber Wolves who have and look to be ready to move on from former Hawk Jeff Teague at the cost of 19 mil. The Wolves have two young potential super stars in KAT and Wiggins and need Vet leadership and don’t have much salary cap space to work with. Moving JT’s 19 mil, at the cost of the number 11 pick, could afford them the cap space to go after a closer in Kemba Walker. Or a vet BIG in Al Horford. or if Tyrus is their pg, Middleton would make a very nice fit.
Just saying……. Atl has options. Cam should be the guy at eight! At ten and possibly 11 or 12, Doumbouya, Haynes, and Bol should be targets.
Brogdon, Russell, Randle, Parker add one of them.
Yes they could be on the Wolves list! They still need to get rid of Teague’s contract to create room to sign any of them.