Hawks: Ranking which players are truly untouchable in trade talks

The Hawks had an unfortunate run-in with injuries during the playoffs, and even with a deep, talented, and young roster, there are still questions that need to be answered. John Collins is a restricted free agent, and there is no guarantee the Hawks match an offer sheet that he gets. Lou Williams and Tony Snell are free agents, but one could argue that Atlanta can get younger and cheaper with their roles. Atlanta could also potentially push their chips in for a superstar player, but that would sacrifice much of the young core that got them to the Eastern Conference Finals. With that being said, if the Hawks do make a move, who would they potentially be interested in dealing?

Keep in mind the true meaning of untouchable means if you get an offer for one of the best players in the entire NBA, you won’t move them at all — no question. Much of it depends on the player in return, but I’m going to break down which pieces I think the Hawks might deal if they decide to pursue a big trade. Personally, I’m in favor of running things back with a healthy squad, but you can’t always guarantee health, and pairing a true bonafide second superstar with Trae Young may be too much for Schlenk to pass up.

 

On the Table:

G Kevin Huerter

F Danilo Gallinari

C Clint Capela

G Kris Dunn

F John Collins

 

Obviously, included in this group is almost any draft pick the Hawks have going forward. They don’t need any more rookies, even though Travis Schlenk has done a masterful job of drafting them. Kevin Huerter was the hero in Game 7 against the 76ers, and if his shooting percentages keep improving, he’ll get a nice extension from the Hawks. His defense and developing mid-range shot are fun to watch.

Gallinari was pretty solid this season, but the Hawks likely wouldn’t hesitate to move him if he was a key piece in a deal, especially considering his large contract. Although he was partially responsible for Atlanta’s defensive turnaround under Nate McMillan, Clint Capela falls into that same boat. Onyeka Okongwu’s encouraging play would make trading them a lot more palatable.

You have to imagine Kris Dunn will exercise his player option after only playing in four regular-season games, but he was very effective defensively during limited playoff action. He could be a nice surprise if he’s healthy in 2021-2022. John Collins is a little different, but I could see a sign-and-trade if he prices himself out of Atlanta, which means he’s on the table — possibly more so than anyone on this list.

 

Approaching Untouchable, Prefer to Keep:

F De’Andre Hunter

F Cam Reddish

C/F Onyeka Okongwu

G Bogdan Bogdanović

 

These are the guys that would have to be moved for a true superstar and nothing short of one. You can really only consider moving them in a trade for a guy like Bradley Beal, Donovan Mitchell, or Damian Lillard. De’Andre Hunter showed that he is the incredible 3-and-D wing that the Hawks were hoping for when they traded up to the fourth overall pick — when healthy.

We’ve talked about how a coaching change could benefit Cam Reddish, and it appears he felt the same way. On top of playing fantastic defense throughout the Eastern Conference Finals, Reddish shot over 64% from three against a tough defensive Bucks squad, including canning six of seven threes in Game 6. Considering he’s only 21 years old, he’s probably the most untouchable player on this list.

Onyeka Okongwu finally began to blossom in these playoffs, and he’s finally living up to the Bam Adebayo comp I gave him when the Hawks drafted him last year. His defensive switchability is insanely valuable, and he’s starting to develop as an efficient scorer as well. Bogdan Bogdanović could likely be had at the right price, but it’s tough to deal one of your best defensive players who shot almost 44% from three during the regular season.

 

Absolutely Untouchable:

G Trae Young

 

Well, yeah, duh.