Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal

The Atlanta Hawks do this deal out of prudence. It’s not the flashy return some fans would hope for in exchange for John Collins, but it’s a logical one.

Firstly, Kuzma is not far off Collins in terms of on-court value. His skillset is also similar. He could slot right into Collins’ role, and the Hawks would hardly be able to spot the difference.

Meanwhile, adding Wright is sensible for the Hawks too. While they now have two starting point guards, they don’t have a passable backup. The Wizards, having acquired Monte Morris this summer, won’t run into the same issue.

Most significantly, the Hawks improve their cap situation with this trade. Kuzma’s deal runs half as long as Collins’, and it’s about half as expensive to boot. Wright’s is roughly a third the cost of Collins’, and the same length as Kuzma’s.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Updates On Washington Wizards, John Collins & Atlanta Hawks

If this deal makes the Hawks slightly worse in the short-term, it could push them two steps forward in the long-run.