We all know that rebuilding in the NBA is a process. Atlanta fans have been very patient, and though they have not seen the wins rack up quite yet, they have their first true superstar since Dominique Wilkins in Trae Young, and a young core for him to build around.
However, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports, many across the industry believe that the Hawks’ ownership group headed by Tony Ressler and Jami Gertz is ready to win now. Haynes added that Ressler is quite frustrated with the low win total this season, and many believe that the Hawks’ interest in Pistons center Andre Drummond was ownership driven.
Now, the Drummond trade did not make sense for the long-term. He will likely opt out of his deal this offseason, and even though he would patch the Hawks’ biggest need at the moment, he can be had in July as a free agent.
While it’s promising to see ownership so committed to taking the next step, meddling with the roster is never usually in the team’s best interest. With a likely top pick in this year’s draft, and having the Nets’ first-rounder as well, this could be the last year that Travis Schlenk will need to compile a roster not built to win, especially if there is pressure from ownership. The Hawks will have the most cap space in basketball this offseason, and though the free-agent crop is nothing to write home about – because of the lack of teams with cap space – they could absorb salary in a trade as well.
Even though the Hawks are now out on Drummond, this rumor is quite indicative of the team’s plans going forward. They are most definitely a team to watch out for on the trade market, as Steven Adams appears to still be in play, and they could also take on a bad contract or two for future assets.
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