The search for the Atlanta Hawks next President of Basketball Operations is ongoing, but early reports have suggested ownership is looking to dole out money in hopes of landing a big name that has experience building championship contenders.

Former Warriors executive Bob Myers is a name that’s been thrown around, and while that feels like a long shot, it does give an indication that ownership is tired of being a treadmill team, one that is good enough to compete for a playoff spot but doesn’t have any chance of making a run towards an NBA championship.

Whoever joins new general manager Onsi Saleh, who was promoted in place of Landry Fields, will have several critical decisions to make. For starters, they must decide whether they want to commit to Trae Young long-term again, who is entering the final year of his contract. It feels as if Young’s future in Atlanta is more certain than it’s been in a while. He’s expressed a desire to see this process through with the Hawks and handled the last couple of years much better than many might have expected. However, with new decision makers in place, there is a possibility they see the vision a little differently than Landry Fields.

Regardless, the #1 task for the new front office will be to turn this team into a contender, and there seem to be two paths they can take. Atlanta has a very young core, featuring five starters that are 26 years old or younger. They could attempt to build around those five, strengthening the margins and hoping guys like Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and Jalen Johnson further their respective developments, allowing the improvement of the team to come naturally.

But given the hasty nature of the Hawks ownership, it doesn’t feel like they are too interested in waiting to see this thing through. The organization is set up perfectly to take a swing on the next star player to become available for trade, and the biggest name that could be moved this offseason is Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

At 30-years old, Giannis Antetokounmpo still has two years remaining on his contract before he can opt, so the Bucks don’t necessarily have to make any rash decisions. With that being said, given how bad of shape their organization is set up for the future, it may be in the best interest for both parties to move on. 

Damian Lillard is nearing 35-years-old and will miss all of next season after suffering a torn Achilles in Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers. The Bucks don’t own their own first-round pick until 2031, and only have three first-round picks over the next six years. Most of their role players are set to test free agency, and they have another abysmal contract on their books in the form of Kyle Kuzma. The Bucks’ time in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference has passed, and the best way of getting back might actually be to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to the highest bidder.

Whatever you think about Milwaukee's future it may be worse

– Dame is 34 and may not play again till 2027
– Don't own their first in this draft
– Least favorable 1st round swaps in '26/'28/'30
– Don't own any 1st in '27/'29
– Don't own their first till 2031
– Brook, Portis, GTJ,…

— Matt (@sixringsofsteeI) April 28, 2025

If Antetokounmpo does become available this summer, the Hawks are among the most logical fits. They’ve been dying to find another legitimate superstar to pair with Trae Young since he arrived, and now they finally have the young pieces to facilitate such a deal.

Any potential trade would likely have to center around Jalen Johnson. It would also probably include one of Dyson Daniels or Zaccharie Risacher, along with draft picks. 30-year-old two-time MVPs don’t come available too often. Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to require a load in a trade, and there’s no guarantee he will deliver the Hawks a championship. But for the first time in decades, Atlanta would be viewed as legitimate contenders coming into next season.

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