After one of the most eventful trade deadlines the NBA has ever seen, the Atlanta Hawks were involved in the frenzy of transactions.
The Hawks traded forward Deandre Hunter to the Cavaliers for Caris LeVert, Georges Niang and three second-round picks.
Hunter, a sixth-year wing out of Virginia, was averaging a career-high 19 points per game for Atlanta this season and was second in the league in points per game off the bench.
The former NCAA champion joins the first-seed Cavaliers, favorites to be contenders in the east.
Since joining the Hawks, LeVert has become a key offensive contributor, making significant strides in scoring and rebounding. His points per game have surged from 10.2 in Cleveland to 15.7 in Atlanta, while his rebounding has more than doubled, jumping from 2.8 to 7.0 per game.
Niang is another addition to Atlanta’s offense, especially from outside. The 6-foot-7 sharpshooter is averaging a career-high in points (15), field goal percentage (48.5) and three-point shooting (45.0) since joining the Hawks.
Before the deadline, Hawks general manager Landry Fields made additional moves, trading guard Bogdan Bogdanović and three second-round picks to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for guards Terance Mann and Bones Hyland.
Bogdanović played four seasons for the Hawks, averaging 15 points per game, but a dip in scoring this season (10 ppg) led the front office to move in a different direction.
Hyland was waived two days later, before even playing a single game for Atlanta.
Can the Hawks’ Deadline Moves Keep Them in the Playoff Hunt?
The Hawks are three and one since the deadline going into the all-star break, but are the new acquisitions enough to make them contenders- or even a legitimate playoff team?
At the all-star break, the Hawks are below .500 (26-29) but rank eighth in the eastern conference, in position for a spot in the play-in tournament. They are tied with the Miami Heat, sitting 18.5 games behind first place and just three games back from the sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons for a secured playoff spot.
While Atlanta managed to offset the loss of their top wing, they were also in discussions to acquire forward Brandon Ingram, a proven 20+ point-per-game scorer. Adding Ingram would have been a major boost alongside All-Star point guard Trae Young and rising star Jalen Johnson.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes gives the Hawks a B- grade at the trade deadline.
“Despite giving up the best player in the deal, the Hawks did well to balance their need to remain relatively competitive while also organizing their salary structure ahead of next year,” Hughes said.
Is Trae Young’s Future in Atlanta Uncertain?
While the Hawks made moves to stay competitive, their future could have taken a drastically different turn. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the San Antonio Spurs were reportedly eyeing Young before making a move for point guard De’Aaron Fox.
After this season, Young will have two more years on his contract before hitting unrestricted free agency.
Despite his talent, the front office has only paired young with two all-stars–Dejounte Murray and a 42-year-old Vince Carter–neither of whom were all-stars during their time in Atlanta. Given the lack of a true superstar co-star and the team’s ongoing struggles, would anyone blame Young if he eventually asked out?
Young led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021, proving his ability to lead a deep playoff run. However, since then, Atlanta has struggled to build a true contender around him and has failed to make it past the first round.
What Do the Hawks Need to Do?
While LeVert and Niang have provided an offensive spark, the team’s defensive inconsistencies remain a concern. Atlanta sits in the middle of the pack, with a 113.5 defensive rating (15th in NBA). If the Hawks hope to secure a playoff spot without going through the play-in tournament, they need to tighten up on the defensive end, particularly in late-game situations.
With the Eastern Conference playoff race heating up, improving their defensive efforts could be the difference between a guaranteed postseason berth and another early exit.
