The Hawks, who are widely expected to be one of the more active NBA teams this summer, are believed to be open to discussing possible trades involving nearly all the players on their roster, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says rival executives view Trae Young as Atlanta’s only untouchable player.
The Hawks had trade conversations prior to this year’s trade deadline about John Collins, Kevin Huerter, and Danilo Gallinari, among others, Fischer notes.
Although Fischer says that restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton has been a “popular rumored target” for the Hawks, he cites multiple league sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking that believe the front office will prioritize adding a wing scorer over a big man.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago previously reported that “league gossip” had linked the Hawks to Zach LaVine, a point Fischer reiterates, writing that multiple sources have mentioned Atlanta as a possible destination for LaVine. Since they’ll be well over the cap, the Hawks would likely have to try to work out a sign-and-trade if they get serious about pursuing LaVine.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- After indicating in early March that he’s leaning toward re-signing with the Wizards, Bradley Beal recently suggested his position hasn’t changed. According to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Beal – who said his recovery from season-ending wrist surgery has gone well – confirmed that he’s still leaning toward remaining in Washington. “This injury also gave me a mental break, a time to evaluate life, and I haven’t changed my mind-set,” Beal said. “I enjoy being in D.C.; I enjoy being on this team.”
- In a mailbag for The Athletic, Josh Robbins considers whether or not Wizards fans would embrace a full-fledged rebuild and explores whether the team could trade up from No. 10 in the draft. Of course, if Washington re-signs Beal, it’s a safe bet the team isn’t shifting into rebuilding mode this summer.
- The Magic have a history of trading out of the second round of the draft, but they’re expected to use at least one of the No. 32 and No. 35 picks this year, writes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. Price notes that Santa Clara’s Jalen Williams, who has a 7’2″ wingspan despite being just 6’4″, is the type of player the Magic typically like, and he spoke to the team at last week’s combine.
If we can go from Capela to Ayton, or from Huerter/Bogdan to Zach, I would be HIGHLY in favor of either/both of those options. I would be highly opposed to losing Dre Hunter, Jalen Johnson or Onyeka Okongwu tho. We have all our future 1sts available plus an extra 1st from Charlotte that transfers whenever they make the playoffs…. If Phoenix somehow doesn’t wanna pay Ayton the max (which is extremely hard to believe) then Capela plus a 1st or even a couple of 2nds seems like plenty enough return for Phoenix. Capela (like Embiid) just sorta seems to headed towards a time in his career where stretches of him being 95+% healthy is gonna be few & far between. He’s obv a beast when healthy but healthy Ayton is even better than healthy Capela (esp going forward) & Ayton is gonna be healthy more often than Capela (esp going forward)…. as far as Zach, he’s unrestricted so Chi has much less leverage than Phoenix does with Ayton. Bogdan or Kev straight up for Zach in a s&t should be more than enough compensation. If the choice for Chicago is losing Zach for nothing or getting Bogie or Huerter for him then that should be an easy choice…. Either of those moves makes us better but I’m a lil skeptical that Zach especially would even wanna come here. Coming here to be 2nd fiddle to a younger guy doesn’t seem like Zachs style. Neither does Atl or the south in general imo. Zach def seems more like a west coast guy & I’d expect him to go West this summer…. Other than moves like that, ie not giving up Dre, Jalen or Onyeka (or Sharife either if at all avoidable), I dw see us doing anything to crazy. True we regressed from being competitive in the ECF vs the eventual champs to 1st rd losers. But I mean it’s very possible we lost to the eventual champs this yr as well. Plus we were playing extremely well down the stretch this yr going into the playoffs including 2 impressive Ws in the play-in game before Capela’s injury derailed us. Having both of our starting frontcourt guys out/injured/unable to be threats in p&r severely crippled our offensive attack & a great defensive team took advantage. That’s no reason to panic & break up the actual best team in franchise history before they even hit their primes. Gallo is obv gonna be elsewhere. Bogdan & Capela have injury concerns that make them both extremely expendable. Other than that we’re good & should focus on adding some toughness, physical strength & attitude to the roster
So don’t bother with paragraphs. The reader is not the point. /s
441 words…all jammed together.
You couldn’t find anything to criticize or comment on in what I said other than the fact that it’s not in paragraphs? Yall continue to prove my point about the lack of a decent basketball debate/discussion on this site smh. You expose yourself with this type of comment fr. It’s obvious that you want to disagree with me and humiliate me somehow but you don’t know how. I have yall fearful of even trying to talk basketball with me bc of the numerous times I’ve made yall look stupid lol. So you chose grammar smh. I almost feel sorry for u tbh
@sank I read the whole thing and it’s not your worst take, just horribly hard to read. Your delusions of grandiose don’t match up with your writing skills.
I meant to say delusions of grandeur but it autocorrected to grandiose which also works lol
You don’t care. Why should I read it.
The chances of you saying something coherent/logical in response to my original comment are astronomical & apparently we both recognize. Feels good to finally find some common ground
I’m not going to read or respond to that stream-of-consciousness wordturd. You’re not trying and my eyes are not going to last the rest of me.
Who needs paragraphs when you know more than everyone?
He’s just ahead of the curve guys /s
Remember last year when you said over and over and over again the Hawks were going to be a dynasty? I mean… you said it a LOT.
Were you wrong? Just asking cuz we all know you know so much about hoops.
This guy’s never wrong. He knows more than everyone.
This is what you chose to be your contribution to the discussion? I’m sure you could have come up with something with substance if you gave it just a lil more thought. Feel free to give it another shot…
If you read/comprehended my comment that you just replied to (twice for some reason) you should be able to see that I obviously still have plenty of faith in the Hawks. Lol obv my faith in my team really grinded your gears for some reason. I love to see it lol. Also love to see you admitting the quiet part out loud in your last sentence (dressed as sarcasm). We both know that you have the utmost respect for my knowledge of this game & the NBA past & present. You’re better off not admitting it tho, bc I mean I already have enough power over you right?
Haha. That was easy. You’re a very sensitive person.
Dude just pick 1 & stick with it… Any thoughts on Ayton, Capela, LaVine, Huerter, Hawks free agency or naw?
Dude, I enjoy changing up my comments. I have absolutely zero idea why you care about that unless it has something to do with you being sensitive again and all. I edited this one like 6 times just for you
Any thoughts on whether you still think Atlanta will be a dynasty?
Yes? No?
You gotta see the obvious irony in you calling me sensitive in the same paragraph (absolutely love your paragraphs btw) that u admit to repeatedly editing/deleting/reposting your comments in an attempt to get them just right for me lol. Fr tho I appreciate the respect shown. It’s crazy that you’re an obvious troll with middling interest in really talking basketball but you’re probably the best commenter on here smh. The bar is depressingly low in here fr. I do see yall begrudgingly taking on my viewpoints at times tho. Proud papa moments those, no doubt. But fr it’s weird how aggressively bad yall are at recognizing what does/doesn’t make sense as far as pro basketball is concerned
Me editing my comments doesn’t make me sensitive. Nor does it mean I want to get them just right. What it means is I just might be a tiny bit high. And every time someone complains about me editing my comments I do it about ten times more, because I know it bugs them. It makes me happy knowing you’re getting 7 notifications and are wound up about it.
Good god dude. Stop being such a try hard. I enjoy your takes. But you not being able to admit you’re wrong about something isn’t a good look.
You thinking Atlanta was going to be a dynasty was and is ridiculous.
Man smh please don’t blame weed (or whatever ur doing) for constantly deleting & reposting stuff. Also it doesn’t bother me at all tho I’m literally embarrassed for u lol. I don’t get any notifications from this site tf lol… smh do you think Trae is about to retire or something? I guess you think MJ’s Bulls’ title window closed when they lost in gm7 to Detroit in 90 lol. Hawks are the future of the league. Recency bias is a symptom of a larger disease called not knowing your history
They jumped ahead of schedule with ECF appearance last year and this year might be more realistic expectations for a 1 star team. Maybe try smaller moves like moving on from Capela, Gallo and Bogdon, and seek a defense/2-way guard like Brogdan and see if Hunter and/or Okongwu can make a leap.
1 star team lol who even talks like this? Dude I promise you’re watching the game in a fundamentally wrong way
If any team wants Ayton, the best trade idea would be
Offer $25 million for Ayton $30.5 million
The worst idea would be:
offer $37 million salary to Suns for Ayton
Truth
LaVine is a UFA, so a S&T to the team he picks would likely be doable for the usual toll. ATL doesn’t have the expiring deals or cap space, but might be able to find something CHI wants. As big an issue is why would LaVine pick ATL? I don’t see the draw, unless it’s important to him to be the best defender in his team’s starting backcourt. Few teams can assure him this as certainly as ATL. Still, though, I think LaVine agrees to re-up with CHI before the FA period even officially begins.
Ayton is a RFA. That’s a bidding war, more than a sales job. He still has to want ATL, but not necessarily as a first choice, just first among the teams offering up a package that PHX deems acceptable. ATL (if they release Gallo) is right at the tax line, and will almost certainly not take on salary without a companion deal to shed it. PHX is certainly NOT taking on salary in excess of (and likely not up to) Ayton’s max contract number. Capela and two lightly protected 1st’s is probably a losing bid, but might be worth making. The only ATL player that could be added that PHX might be interested in is Hunter (who I wouldn’t trade) or Okongwu (but not really to keep). They’re not taking a second eight figure salary.
Ideally the Hawks would give their young players another year. But, they don’t seem to be interacting well and so, the talk of having to make changes.
That is one problem with going all youth… besides the patience required for them to turn out, is the increased possibility of players resenting each other. Not sure that’s the case here. If not, why trade anyone?— look for a bounceback year.
If HC Mcmillen gets the blame & is fired, I have been advocating Laker Phil Handy, who may have butted heads with Lebron so needs to move on.