Report: The Hawks have shown interest in Marcus Smart and Derrick White

The NBA trade deadline is a couple of weeks away, and for some fans, it is the most exciting time of the year. Players will be moved, and the Hawks have been linked to nearly every trade rumor.

Atlanta has already had reported interest in Ben Simmons, Marcus Smart, and Jerami Grant. According to Jake Fischer, the Hawks have also inquired about Derrick White of the Spurs. White is someone I could see Travis Schlenk being interested in because of his tough defense and ability to run the point with Trae Young off the floor. He’s under contract for the next three years at an extremely reasonable figure — $54 million total.

White would likely cost a player, a first-round pick, and an expiring contract, but that isn’t all that Fischer revealed. Before Atlanta traded Cam Reddish to the Knicks, where he has been effectively shut out of the rotation, the Hawks and Celtics discussed a trade that would’ve sent Reddish and Kevin Huerter to Boston in exchange for Marcus Smart.

The Hawks are searching for an upgrade on the defensive end of the court. Whether that acquisition comes to fruition is another thing entirely. I do not expect Schlenk to pull the trigger on any trade that doesn’t immediately help the Hawks’ chances of winning a championship while keeping financial flexibility for the future.