Trade Target #1: Kelly Oubre Jr.
The first Wizard that the Atlanta Hawks should consider trading for is Kelly Oubre Jr. You may remember that Oubre was originally drafted by the Hawks in 2015 but would have his rights traded to the Wizards in the Tim Hardaway Jr. deal.
It’s safe to say that Atlanta’s front office may want that trade back. Nonetheless, this would be a great trade for both teams considering their current situations. This trade would finally allow the team to move on from Kent Bazemore (who they have been trying to trade for almost two years).
Bazemore has been a solid contributor for the team and is the final player on the roster left from the Mike Budenholzer era. As of now, Bazemore is having a solid season, but sometimes players and franchises grow apart from one another.
Acquiring Oubre Jr. in a trade would provide the Hawks with another wing who can play both sides of the ball. He is a solid two-way player who doesn’t require the ball in his hands to be effective. Another important aspect is that this trade can free up cap space for Atlanta and bring in another possible player with a one-year deal.
Austin Rivers could be a possible player that could come over in a trade. Obviously, if Rivers came over in a trade it would cause Jeremy Lin to be shipped out. But the fact that Rivers can play shooting guard may save Lin.
If Atlanta does trade for Oubre Jr. they will add an athletic wing who can handle the ball (in moderation), play defense and score. Also, keep in mind that he is only 22 years old and he is finishing up his rookie deal. The Hawks could easily re-sign him in the offseason if they wanted to.
Oubre Jr. is currently averaging 12 points per game which is .3 more than Otto Porter Jr. who is the current starter.