Note: All rankings are relative to the Hawks, considering fit, need and the talent of each player.
1. Demarre Caroll- Our own Demarre Carroll makes it number 1 on this list. The guy has made a name for himself in Atlanta and can really score now. He is an elite defender and always gives 100% effort. Hopefully, his price tag has not gotten to high for the Hawks to retain him.
2. Luol Deng- He currently has yet to decide on whether to opt out of his contract. His player option is for 10.2 millions dollars next season, and it is highly unlikely Deng will get that kind of money elsewhere. However, if he does choose to opt out, Deng could be a very good option if the Hawks cannot resign Demarre Carroll. He shot 46% from the field last season and 35.5% from behind the arc. Deng will be a hard sell after last year’s Danny Ferry controversy, however.
3. Jae Crowder- Crowder is one of those under the radar guys I think the Hawks might target this off season. He is a hustle guy and a fan favorite wherever he plays. He has struggled to improve his three point shot so far in his career, but that is something that I think will change. He should not require too much money and could be the steal of this year’s free agent class.
4. Corey Brewer- Not exactly the ideal fit for the Hawks, but he is a tremendous wing defender. If he could ever find his three-point shot he could be a terrific player, but I would not hold my breath. Brewer helped the Houston Rockets to the Western Conference Finals last season and could provide some much needed depth to Atlanta’s rotation.
5. Al Farouq-Aminu- Wow is this year’s small forward free agent class thin. Aminu only averaged 5.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season. However, he did perform well in his first postseason and can play good defense. He also is a native of Atlanta.