4 Hawks commerce candidates coming into 2024-25 season

The 2024 offseason noticed loads of adjustments for an Atlanta Hawks staff that has fallen wanting its targets over the previous two seasons. They admitted that their blockbuster commerce for Dejounte Murray again in 2022 was a failure, slicing their losses and sending him to the New Orleans Pelicans for a bundle headlined by Dyson Daniels — thereby kicking off the Hawks’ retooling course of.

And in a stroke of excellent fortune, the Hawks managed to land the primary total choose of the 2024 NBA Draft, and with that reward, they took Zaccharie Risacher, the versatile ahead out of France. The choose could not have are available a stacked draft class, however Risacher appears to be like like he’ll be an unimaginable match alongside Trae Younger, because the rookie has flashed his easy stroke from three in addition to his ending means thus far in preseason.

In the mean time, nevertheless, the Hawks are nonetheless straddling the advantageous line between going all-in on the youth motion in addition to remaining semi-competitive. They nonetheless have just a few veterans on the roster who may very well be price one thing on the commerce market, and if the Hawks determine to chase higher lottery odds within the impending Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, these gamers may very effectively be on their means out of Atlanta.

Over the previous three seasons, it has appeared as if it was solely going to be a matter of time earlier than the Hawks turned over the beginning middle job to Onyeka Okongwu, the large man they drafted with the sixth total choose of the 2020 NBA Draft. However Clint Capela has remained robust by all of it. When wholesome, Capela has been known as upon by the Hawks to be the staff’s beginning middle, and has performed his function admirably.

Capela, nevertheless, is in the midst of a decline. He is not the rim protector he was, and his mobility has declined because of his many accidents over time. However on offense, he is nonetheless the right slot in a Trae Younger-led offense — a lob menace who’s tireless in rolling to the basket.

At current, it is unclear who Quin Snyder will roll with because the Hawks’ long-term beginning middle. It is a bit telling that Okongwu, who’s at the moment injured, hasn’t but usurped Capela. However there’s at all times the selection for the Hawks to pivot youthful, and in the event that they do, count on Capela to as soon as once more be the topic of commerce rumors aplenty.

De’Andre Hunter, very like Capela, has been on the forefront of many commerce rumors over the previous few seasons. Hunter hasn’t progressed a lot in his 5 years with the Hawks. At this level, everybody is aware of what they will get from Hunter — 15 factors, a smattering of threes and free throws, in addition to some strong to above-average protection on the perimeter.

Hunter didn’t progress an excessive amount of as a shot-maker or a playmaker, and because of this, it is onerous to say that he has been effectively definitely worth the four-year, $90 million extension he signed again in 2022.

With Zaccharie Risacher poised to command a ton of minutes given his draft pedigree, Hunter may, eventually, be the odd man out in Atlanta. In truth, the clock is ticking on Hunter’s spot within the beginning lineup, particularly when he did handle to lose his beginning job for a stretch final season. Maybe Hunter’s companies may very well be of higher use to a different staff that should beef up its wing rotation.

Bogdan Bogdanovic

Bogdan Bogdanovic is the oldest among the many Hawks participant talked about so far. He is already 32 years previous, and in contrast to Capela and Hunter, he’s a lot simpler to dump to contending groups as a chunk that might assist out in a possible championship run. His contract, that runs for 3 extra years (together with a staff choice) is price round $49 million — a worth that is warranted for top-of-the-line quantity marksmen within the league.

However the identical skillset that makes Bogdanovic interesting to contending groups additionally makes him price a lot to the Hawks. Bogdanovic isn’t just a catch-and-shooter; he can provoke the offense when Trae Younger is resting whereas being a hand-and-glove match alongside him within the backcourt due to his elite three-point capturing.

Thus, barring a serious provide, the Hawks could merely be extra inclined to maintain Bogdanovic on the staff.

Acquired by the Hawks within the Dejounte Murray commerce, Nance may discover himself out of the Hawks rotation slightly shortly as soon as Okongwu recovers from his damage. Nance, nevertheless, is a high quality backup middle. He’s pretty switchable on the perimeter, and he is a lob menace that covers a ton of floor on each ends. He’s within the remaining yr of his contract, nevertheless, and he is making $11 million. He is extra more likely to find yourself as a buyout candidate come February than somebody contending groups actively search a commerce for.