Atlanta Hawks Keep Winning Despite Trade Rumors

The Atlanta Hawks keep winning despite the trade rumors surrounding the organization.

Teams trading off assets at the trade deadline is nothing new. It doesn’t matter the sport, we can all think of examples of when a “fire sale” has happened.

The process usually follows the same pattern. A team that was once a contender has fallen on hard times. Their once great roster is now aging and injury prone. The team has dropped to the bottom of the standings, and it’s clear that the league has passed them by. Their era is over and they need to get younger as quickly as they can.

To speed up the rebuilding process, the downtrodden team will start to trade every player of worth they have on their roster. This way they can accumulate young players and draft picks, instead of moving forward with an aging roster, or in some cases, losing those players to free agency while getting nothing in return.

That’s not always how it happens, but that’s the general framework of a “fire sale”. Then there’s the 2016-17 Atlanta Hawks. They do not fit this description. You’ve undoubtedly heard the trade rumors surrounding the team in the last week.

Kyle Korver has already been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and speculation suggested that Paul Millsap could be traded before the Feb. 23 trade deadline. Thabo Sefolosha and Tim Hardaway Jr. have also had their names circulated as possible trade chips. It seemed that any player with an expiring contract could be traded. The Hawks appeared to be open for business, assuming they got the right offer.

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There’s just one thing; the Hawks aren’t a bad team. They don’t even have a losing record. They don’t have anything close to a losing record.

They are in the midst of a six-game winning streak and are currently the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 21-16 record. Teams in prime playoff positioning don’t usually look to trade their best player.

This winning streak appears to have made Atlanta’s front office rethink things, even though many assumed that trading Korver to the rival Cleveland Cavaliers was a sign that the train has already left the station.

Trading Millsap would have been a tough pill for Hawks fans to swallow. It’s difficult to rationalize trading your best player when your team is in the middle of a six-game winning streak. The team looks the best they’ve looked since their 9-2 start. They finally have a cohesive starting lineup that has been devastating defensively.

Why change things up?

The case for trading Millsap is pretty simple.  Even if they continue to win, that doesn’t change the predicament they’ll be in next summer. They’ll still be faced with losing Millsap and getting nothing in return or paying him a max contract. That’s a terrifying proposition for an organization that desperately wants to avoid “tanking”. Starting to make moves now would allow them to begin the rebuilding process without bottoming out.

They have fairly low ceiling in terms of playoff success this season, even if everything goes well. Tom Ziller said it best in his recent piece for SB Nation. 

"The Hawks would rather intend to determine the path for themselves. In a sense, that is easier to do in the current East, where LeBron James has led his team to the NBA Finals in each of the past six seasons. That LeBron’s Cavaliers have completely annihilated the best versions of the Hawks only make the wound sting more sharply, and the vision for what’s next so clear.The Hawks couldn’t touch LeBron at their best and at his most vulnerable. Of course they can’t beat him now. So, why keep up the ruse?That’s why their decision to fold while holding the No. 4 seed is so righteous. There is no shame in acknowledging current limitations and finding a new path. Atlanta cannot win the East as presently constructed. It’s smarter to disarm, stockpile assets for 2-3 years down the road, and re-approach the situation then, when LeBron is a bit older and other current superpowers (like Golden State) have perhaps faltered."

The Hawks front office, or ownership, must disagree with that assessment. They must see a path to the NBA Finals. To be fair, all it takes is a little luck. The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors are good, but not unbeatable.

If the Cavaliers suffer a major injury, then the Eastern Conference Playoffs become wide open. That’s probably not going to happen, and nobody wants that to happen, but the Hawks need to be prepared to take advantage of any opportunity.

Related Story: Three Trade Scenarios For Paul Millsap

Maybe the Hawks are prepared to pay Millsap next summer. He’ll be 32, but his game doesn’t rely completely on athleticism. He also doesn’t have the high mileage on his body that most NBA players his age have.

There’s a good chance that he’ll continue to be an impact player into his mid-30’s. If Atlanta makes an Eastern Conference Finals appearance or two in the first few seasons of that deal, then you could make the argument that it was worth it.

Of course, if the winning stops, Atlanta could make him available for trade again. Or, taking him off the market publicly could give a team the push they need to overpay for him. Sometimes an offer you can’t refuse is, well, an offer you can’t refuse.

If they find the right Millsap trade, landing a competent veteran to match salary and promising young assets, then I believe they can still make the playoffs this season. Trading expiring contracts so that they can set themselves up for the future, while still making a playoff run, should be the ultimate goal if trade talks resume. That’s achievable in the watered down Eastern Conference.

If they choose to rebuild, the Hawks will be in a good spot long-term. They will be left with an exciting young point guard to build around in Dennis Schroder, a reliable veteran center in Dwight Howard, high ceiling young players in DeAndre’ Bembry and Taurean Prince, the assets they would acquire in deals for Millsap and Sefolosha, and a large amount of cap space next summer.

Next: Hawks 2016 Player Power Rankings

Uncertainty is scary, but it can also be pretty fun. For now, there’s a winning streak to enjoy and Millsap if off the market. Enjoy it while it lasts.