The Hawks have been a perennial playoff team for the past decade, but have yet to get that player who can get the team over the hump. As it stands, the Hawks have a nice foundation with 2014-15 All-Stars Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and Al Horford. The team has a lot of question marks heading into free agency. With Dennis Schroder knocking on the door of the starting lineup, Jeff Teague has emerged in trade rumors. Al Horford and Kent Bazemore are free agents. One issue that has been overlooked is that it is likely in the team’s best interest to find a new shooting guard and move Kyle Korver to the bench given his age. He simply did not look the same coming off surgeries last season. If the Hawks address the shooting guard position, it is time they got a scorer who “has the sauce.” The Hawks have meshed well as a unit, but they still lack a go-to scoring option who can shoot the last shot. Luckily, there are a few intriguing options for the Hawks.
Demar Derozan
Derozan is an unlikely addition. If he leaves Toronto it looks like he is headed to L.A. Toronto has a nice team, but how often do we see great NBA players leave that city? If the Hawks pursue Derozan while other teams are focused in on the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, they may have a shot here. The 26-year old would most definitely have a better supporting cast and it would still allow the Hawks to sign Al Horford after the fact with Bird Rights. The two-time All-Star is what the Hawks need, but they have merely an outside shot at signing him.
Jamal Crawford
A potential Crawford signing gives the Hawks a scorer without killing the cap space. Though he is 36-years old, Jamal still knows how to fill it up and was a fan favorite in Atlanta. An old man committee of Jamal and Korver would give the Hawks enough production at the shooting guard position and would allow Tim Hardaway Jr. to potentially start at the wing. Having a scorer off the bench would pay huge dividends for the Hawks.
Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon has already been overpaid once. That, alongside his injury history, will likely prevent a team from overpaying him. Gordon would be a terrific addition to the Hawks. He can create his own shot and consistently shoots around 40% from beyond the arc. Given the right price he could be exactly what Atlanta needs to pair with another solid addition to “restock” the team. However, he has not surpassed 70 games played in a season since 2008-9. Yikes. He’s not the greatest defender either. Gordon is a risk, but the reward could be great for a Hawks team that struggles to reel in big-name free agents. A healthy Gordon in Coach Bud’s system could be very dangerous.