The Hawks need to focus on getting a second star to pair with Trae Young, but if I know Travis Schlenk, he’ll be looking to improve the roster anywhere he can. The Hawks aren’t losing a ton of guys in free agency, but they still need to improve the roster, especially defensively and coming off the bench. Here are a few guys I have my eye on that may not be superstars, but could help the team immediately. Hopefully, the Hawks can snag one of these players and still make a move for a big time name to play alongside Trae Young. I’ll be focusing on good defenders who can shoot efficiently.
If you want to check out the first edition featuring guys like Malcolm Brogdon, you can find that here.
F Jerami Grant
I’ll keep this short since this is something I’ve talked about at length going back to last offseason, but Jerami Grant is the type of player the Hawks should be targeting. I’m not too sure how he would be valued, but on an expiring deal, I wouldn’t be willing to give up too much for him. Grant is a smooth scorer who can defend multiple positions very well. He’s probably only a guy you acquire if you move John Collins elsewhere, and you have to be confident in Jalen Johnson moving into a bigger role going forward. Still, his 3-and-D presence would be a welcome addition.
G Gary Trent Jr.
The Raptors are an interesting team; they seem to be ahead of schedule with phenom rookie Scottie Barnes leading the way, so will they look to make a splash to take the next step? It’s uncertain, but if they’re looking to acquire picks or young talent to facilitate a trade, I’d take a big swing at the former Duke Blue Devil. Trent is a very good perimeter defender and efficient shooter — something that usually doesn’t come very cheap. I think Toronto would look to keep him around as they continue to build, but if I’m the Hawks, I have to kick the tires.
F Jonathan Isaac
Isaac is an interesting player on and off the court. He hasn’t played in a long time due to injury, but when he’s healthy, he can match up with just about anyone in the league and knock down some threes as well. I would consider buying low on him for the right price. If the Magic decide to select Chet Holmgren in the 2022 NBA Draft, I’d be a lot more interested in his teammate Mo Bamba.
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