The Hawks are seemingly open for business this offseason, as they should be.
Reports and rumors have surfaced since Atlanta’s season ended that the club would keep its ear to the ground regarding any potential trades, which includes their two All-Stars in Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Beyond them, the roster is ripe with pieces that could interest any number of clubs. Jalen Johnson is the brightest young piece the Hawks have to offer, but it would have to be an incredible package for them to move off of the Duke product.
JJ could even be untouchable in some circles in Atlanta’s front office, but that isn’t the case with literally everyone else on the roster. From veteran starters to young bench pieces, the Hawks should be open for business.
Two names, in particular, are expected to receive attention in trade conversations. “Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter are two experienced players that will receive attention in said conversations, league sources said,” Brett Siegel writes.
Capela’s time in Atlanta should’ve been over before last season, but the veteran center can still offer well above-average defense and rebounding. For a club that’s missing that piece, Capela should offer intrigue.
Hunter, on the other hand, should have a much wider cast of teams interested in his services. Some Hawks fans aren’t big on the former No. 4 overall pick because he hasn’t quite lived up to his lofty draft status, but that shouldn’t be how you look at him.
De’Andre Hunter plays a brand of winning basketball. He’s coming off a campaign in which he averaged a career-high 15.6 points per game while canning 38.5% of his three-point attempts, also a career-best. Oh yeah, he’s also tasked with regularly guarding the opposing team’s best player.
In the playoffs, Hunter is averaging 16.0 points per contest on 48% shooting from the field and 40% from deep with the toughest defensive assignment. The Hawks would be fools to move a player like that because “he hasn’t lived up to his draft status.”
The Hawks should be looking to acquire more players like De’Andre Hunter, but if the trade is right, nobody should be considered untouchable.
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Photographer: Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
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