According to reports, the Hawks are monitoring the potential availability of Pascal Siakam after pursuing a trade for much of the offseason with the Raptors.
A deal never came to fruition for one reason or the other, though many speculated that it was Toronot’s ridiculously high asking price. However, that hasn’t stopped Atlanta’s management from inquiring.
The report came from Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, who also included De’Andre Hunter in the piece as a top trade candidate.
“Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter was among the players discussed during the Siakam talks, and his $20 million salary and versatility on both sides of the ball playing both forward spots at times makes him a trade candidate to watch in a potential deal.”
Hunter also recently suffered an injury, but it doesn’t seem too serious. His $20 million per year contract isn’t exactly palatable for the player he is right now; however, that might not be who he could become. Development is never linear.
Hunter isn’t the only trade chip the Hawks have under contract, though. Scotto points out that Clint Capela and Patty Mills could be moved at or before the February trade deadline.
“Another Hawks frontcourt player, center Clint Capela, was linked to the Mavericks this offseason, but with the emergence of rookie center Derrick Lively, Dallas’ trade interest in Capela has since faded. However, after signing Onyeka Okongwu to an extension, some rival executives believe Capela could be used as a trade chip again before the February trade deadline.
Patty Mills and his $6.8 million expiring contract is a noteworthy trade chip that could also be included to match salaries.”
The Hawks aren’t a good team; they also aren’t a bad team. They’re somewhere in the middle, on the hamster wheel. The club isn’t good enough to seriously compete for a championship as currently constructed, but they’re not good enough to land a franchise-altering talent in the draft.
It’ll either take some maestro-wizardry from the front office or luck; both of which the Hawks seem fresh out of. Maybe Pascal Siakam is the answer, but he’s set to test free agency after the season, and that might be an organizational destroyer to trade for a player who walks less than a year later.
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Photographer: Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
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