How This Trade Impacts Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks want to take that next step in becoming contenders in the Eastern Conference and the NBA. They showed during the postseason that they have the foundation in place and just need to build upon it. Swinging a trade like this would accomplish that.
Zach LaVine has turned into one of the best wing players in the NBA. He made his first All-Star team in 2021 and it looks like there will be plenty more in his future. His scoring average has gone up every season he has been in the league, culminating in 27.4 points per game in the 2020-21 LaVine has excellent athleticism and plays above the rim in transition.
He can score from anywhere on the floor, as he knocked down 41.9 percent of his 3-point attempts last season. He does more than just score, averaging 5.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game as well.
The former UCLA Bruin is an improving defender as well, becoming more and more of a two-way player. Atlanta would be ecstatic to have him, but there are some risks.
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Can they convince him to sign a long-term deal with the team? If not, anything short of an NBA Championship would make his acquisition a bust if he turned out to just be a rental, as this is a steep price, but rightfully so.
Atlanta is surrendering their big free-agent acquisition from the 2020 offseason in Bogdan Bogdanovic, lottery picks from 2019 and 2020 in Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu, and two more, unprotected first-round picks.
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To acquire the top-end talent, you have to pay the price, and the Hawks are doing so. If they can work out a long-term deal, this trade is a no-brainer as they have the depth to still field a very strong team.
But, if they cannot secure a long-term commitment either, this trade is just too risky to make.
