The Hawks have a couple of priorities this offseason. The first is finding a true co-star to pair with Trae Young. That’s much easier said than done, but secondly and equally as important is improving defensively. Despite being able to score on pretty much anyone, Atlanta struggled to string together wins because of their lackadaisical defense. They need to add players whose sole purpose is stopping the other team, and nobody fits that bill better than PJ Tucker, who just became a free agent.
Unsurprisingly, the Hawks are interested in him.
The Atlanta Hawks are expected to make a run at P.J Tucker, per @Krisplashed pic.twitter.com/NA2EsSvSpL
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 22, 2022
Tucker is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, which was the biggest weakness for the Hawks last season, and is coming off the best season of his career as a shooter, making his threes at a 41.5% clip. There’s a reason why — despite averaging 7.1 points throughout his career — Tucker is constantly starting on teams competing for championships.
That’s exactly the type of player the Hawks should be targeting in free agency; however, the price tag could be a little hefty for a player that will be 37 next season. It was reported yesterday that the 76ers could offer Tucker a three-year contract worth $30 million.
The Sixers intend to offer PJ Tucker a three-year, $30 million contract, per @PompeyOnSixers pic.twitter.com/nlNyAGeUVv
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 22, 2022
There’s a strong chance a deal like that could be looked upon with regret at the end of it.
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Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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