The Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks formed a new rivalry last season, as the two teams matched up against one another in the first-round of the 2021 NBA playoffs.
The Hawks got the best of the Knicks in five games and advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, but the future looked bright for both up and coming teams in the East.
Well, the 2021-22 regular season is coming to an end and not only are the Knicks on the verge of being eliminated from postseason contention, but the Hawks are barely holding onto the 10-seed in the Eastern Conference.
Both the Hawks and Knicks have really struggled this season for different reasons and both franchises will be entering the offseason with plenty of questions surrounding their current rosters.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Major Offseason Roster Changes For Hawks To Consider
For the Knicks, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are their No. 1 and No. 2 options, but their supporting cast has been inconsistent all year long, leading to their disappointing season.
In Atlanta, Trae Young has carried the Hawks all year long, but their defense has really struggled and it does not seem like the Hawks have the right secondary pieces in-place to contend in the East anymore given how all the other teams in the conference have improved.
While they could both use another superstar talent on their rosters, both the Knicks and the Hawks could potentially help one another in an offseason trade involving Clint Capela.
In his second season with the Hawks, Capela has continued to be a double-double force at the center position and is one of the better rebounders in the entire league, but second-year big man Onyeka Okongwu has started to chip away at Clint Capela’s minutes and production.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Major Offseason Roster Changes For Hawks To Consider
The Atlanta Hawks could be inclined to start giving Okongwu more playing time, as well as turning to smaller, more-balanced lineups with John Collins in the frontcourt as well. Could Clint Capela be available in trade talks this offseason for the Hawks?
Let’s take a look at what the Knicks could offer Atlanta for Capela, courtesy of Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz.
