The Atlanta Hawks finished the season as one of the most extraordinarily mediocre teams of all time, but the club did show they were an ascending group under Quin Snyder in the playoffs.
Given the state of the roster, the front office is somewhat handicapped by their financial limitations. At some point, the Hawks will have to shed some salary if they want to make any moves. That means guys like Clint Capela, John Collins, De’Andre Hunter, and others are all available for trade.
The NBA offseason is more entertaining than the regular season, and it’s because the rumor mill is always running at full bore. Expectedly, Atlanta is completely embroiled in trade rumors.
The Dallas Mavericks have recently been linked to a deal that would involve the two club’s first-round picks — Hawks’ 15th and Mavs’ 10th. The deal discussed would have Davis Bertans sent to Atlanta in exchange for John Collins and the 15th pick. However, more recently, it’s been revealed that Dallas prefers Clint Capela.
“The Hawks and Mavericks, league sources say, have found no common ground to date on their discussions about the veterans that would be involved in a deal to potentially swap first-round picks Thursday,” NBA insider Marc Stein reported via Substack.
“Atlanta wants John Collins attached to its No. 15 pick in exchange for Dallas’ No. 10 selection and Davis Bertans, as first reported by Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Fischer. Dallas wants Trae Young favorite Clint Capela swapped in for Collins to import Capela for the clear upgrade at center that the Mavericks seek this offseason.”
I support moving Clint Capela because his offensive value is next to nothing unless Trae Young is throwing him an alley-oop. He’s a hell of a player and teammate, but his offensive skill set doesn’t mesh with what the Hawks should be doing on that side of the court. There’s also this young, ascending talent in Onyeka Okongwu who needs more minutes.
The former 6th overall pick hasn’t been given the opportunity for a full-time role despite boasting star potential; think Bam Adebayo-esque. That’s who Okongwu could be if given a full-time role.
In just one offseason, OO has developed a jump shot and already features a far more developed post game than CC. It’s why the Hawks are receiving tons of calls inquiring about Okongwu. He’s a special talent, which makes this next rumor even more bothersome.
The Hawks have been linked to the Suns in Pheonix’s desire to move Deandre Ayton.
“The Suns are indeed having conversations with several teams regarding Deandre Ayton,” tweeted CBS Sports and Fox Suns insider Felix Cruz. “Boston and Atlanta are two teams I’m told to keep an eye on regarding Ayton, with the Suns looking to build depth after acquiring Bradley Beal from Washington.”
Atlanta is trying to cut costs, which is why they’re shopping John Collins, Clint Capela, and the rest of the roster outside of Trae Young. So, why would they trade for a large contract like Ayton?
Moreover, I just discussed moving Capela should be a priority to get Okongwu more minutes. This would negate all of that. On top of that, Ayton showed next to nothing in the postseason that should encourage Hawks fans he’s a piece of a championship team.
The Hawks are sure to be active this offseason with more than a handful of possible deals on the horizon. It should be quite entertaining for Atlanta fans.
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Photographer: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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