Atlanta Hawks: Kent Bazemore Trade Scenarios for Every Contending Team
By Chris Guest
Very Likely:
This trade is right on the cusp of being fairly likely, as the Atlanta Hawks taking on the remaining years of Bismack Biyombo’s beefy contract is certainly less than spectacular. However, a free flyer on Dwayne Bacon and a future draft pick would ease the pain. The Hornets are in the hunt for the Eastern Conference playoffs, and the addition of Baze would help to secure their spot in the East’s hierarchy.
After the seismic Jimmy Butler trade, the Wolves have seemed far more cohesive and focused as a unit. Adding Baze to the Wolves should help catapult Minnesota into the heart of the Western Conference playoff race. This could also serve as a salary dump for Minny, as Gorgui Dieng is due a rather dispiriting sum ($33.5 million) for the next few years. For the Atlanta Hawks, nabbing a protected pick as well as a flyer on older rookie Keita Bates-Diop would be worth the risk.
Jon Leuer has played a total of 173 minutes for the Detroit Pistons this season, and his time in Motor City with his 4-year/$41 million deal will likely end soon. The Pistons acquiring Baze from the Atlanta Hawks would immediately upgrade their perimeter defense as well as the team’s overall three-point shooting. Though giving up 3 players for one (and perhaps a pick too) seems like a lot, none of the players in Detroit’s side of the deal is seeing many minutes, and this would allow the Hawks to take a look at rookie Khyri Thomas, who was a favorite of mine leading up to the 2018 draft.
Whenever one checks out how the Blazers are doing, things seem to be going swimmingly. But look a bit deeper, and there are cracks under the surface. Adding Bazemore to the team’s wing rotation over Evan Turner would be a huge boon, as everything that Turner does Baze does a little bit better and his defense should be an upgrade too. Though including Gary Trent Jr., who the Blazers moved up to get, is probably a bit of a stretch, multiple players could be included instead of Trent. As long as the Atlanta Hawks get a pick, I don’t think they would complain.