Kent Bazemore
Though John Collins certainly has more value around the league as a young, cost-controlled, uber-athletic big man, the Atlanta Hawks should see John the Baptist as close to untouchable going forward. As such, the number one trade asset on the Atlanta Hawks currently is none other than Kent Bazemore.
Baze has already been labeled as a “difference maker” for contending teams in a recent report from RealGM, and the Atlanta Hawks led by GM Schlenk, should be doing everything in their power to highlight Baze’s all-around skill set for teams looking to shore up their defense and/or wing rotation ahead of a lengthy playoff run.
We’ve previously unveiled a variety of Bazemore trades, and it cannot be overstated that Baze is a talented player with a malleable skill set that would fit well with any team on the league. He rarely makes mistakes, is a good culture guy and seems to be an eminently likable person all-around.
However, if the Atlanta Hawks are able to obtain a future draft pick of some kind from a contending team for Baze, there is no question that the pragmatic and logical Schlenk will not hesitate to move on from the only player that remains from the magical 60-win season of 2014-15.
As a prototypical three-and-D player, Baze already fills a need that almost any playoff contender must be coveting. Beyond that, Baze is a capable ballhandler and playmaker and his quick hands and ability to move laterally make him a fearsome on-ball and team defender. Though his three-point jumper is off a bit this season (down to 31.4 percent on the third-most attempts on the team), Baze is coming off a career-high 39.4 percent clip from long-range, so the shot is there.
Losing Baze would mean that the final vestiges of the previous era of the team could be shaken off. Sure, Baze has long been the beating heart of this team, what with his Baze gazes and fiery personality, but looking ahead, the Hawks might have a similar player to look forward to in Zion Williamson or R.J. Barrett.
Either way, Baze is the best trade asset on the team, and it seems likely that he will be traded before the deadline this season.
Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference, current as of 12-21-18. Contract details courtesy of Spotrac.