Trade rumors have swirled around John Collins since the offseason, and they’ve only picked up as of late. Most recently, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the Hawks seem to be increasingly willing to move their star power forward. I find the timing of this a little odd, considering Atlanta has rattled off five straight wins and rocketed their way back into the playoff picture. However, the point remains: there is a legitimate chance that Collins is moved before March 25th’s trade deadline. But what other Hawks might teams around the NBA be interested in?
This is the first part of a two-part series. Tomorrow I’ll be breaking down potential trade targets for the Hawks. Travis Schlenk is in an intriguing position, with Atlanta sitting in the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. He could choose to pack it in and look towards next season, or he could make a substantial splash in an attempt to not only make the playoffs, but make some noise once they get there.
The Untouchables
Unless Luka Doncic is coming back in the trade, nobody is touching Trae Young. I also find it highly unlikely the Hawks have any interest in dealing Clint Capela. He has been outstanding this season and is the anchor on the defensive-end. I don’t see any way Schlenk parts ways with him before the deadline. The same can be said for De’Andre Hunter. He looks like a budding star; the Hawks aren’t moving him unless they are offered a proven All-Star caliber player in return, and even that might not be enough.
Highly Unlikely To Be Traded
- Bogdan Bogdanović
- Danilo Gallinari
- Kris Dunn
- Brandon Godwin
- Solomon Hill
- Bruno Fernando
- Skylar Mays
- Brandon Godwin
- Nathan Knight
These players all landed on this list for pretty much the same reason. I don’t imagine there being much interest from other teams in any of these pieces. Bogdanović, Gallinari, and Dunn have all been flops — primarily because of injuries — in their first seasons in Atlanta. There is no way the Hawks would get proper value for any of them, and they might even have to include draft capital if they wanted to part ways with Bogdanović or Gallinari’s contracts, which I just don’t see happening. The rest of these players are young pieces (outside of Solomon Hill) that just wouldn’t have many — if any — potential suitors.
Intriguing Trade Pieces
Just because the Hawks make a trade doesn’t mean they are waving the white flag. These are some pieces I could see Schlenk moving if he were attempting to upgrade. Huerter is a solid player that rebuilding teams could be interested in, and the potential of Reddish and Okongwu definitely make them valuable trade chips. If the Hawks plan on making a splash at the trade deadline, at least a couple of these pieces will have to be moved.
Most Likely To Be Traded
- John Collins
- Rajon Rondo
- Tony Snell
Outside of Collins, Rondo and Hill are two veterans I could see traded if the Hawks decide to blow it up and start looking towards next season. Rondo hasn’t had a terrific start to his career in Atlanta, but his experience — particularly in the playoffs — will have teams calling. Meanwhile, Snell has been the Hawks best offseason acquisition to this point in the season. A true 3-and-D wing on an expiring contract; teams would definitely be interested in acquiring him before the trade deadline.
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I’m not sure why the Hawks would be interested in a fire sale after five straight wins have put them in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. On top of that, they are just starting to get healthy again, as De’Andre Hunter is expected to return to the court later this week. It seems much more likely that the Hawks will be buyers at the deadline. However, if they truly have no intention of re-signing John Collins, moving him and the rest of their trade chips for as many future assets as possible could be in order.
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