Atlanta Hawks GM Travis Schlenk’s Best and Worst Moves
By Dallin Duffy
Third Worst Move – Trading Omari Spellman
Schlenk traded Omari Spellman to the Warriors back in July 2019, receiving a 2026 second-rounder and center Damian Jones in return. At the time, it was odd to see the Hawks give up on Spellman, the 30th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, after just one season, and it only got worse when he looked much improved in Golden State.
Spellman’s numbers shot up across the board upon landing in San Francisco, starring for the injury-plagued Warriors, even looking like someone the team could play even when Steph and Klay are back at full health.
Meanwhile, two-time Finals champion Damian Jones never looked comfortable in a larger role with the Hawks, struggling to fit the team’s pace-and-space style of play. Schlenk acquired two more centers (Clint Capela and Dewayne Dedmon) during the season so it’s safe to say Jones won’t be apart of the plan going forward.
The 2026 pick ended up coming in handy, with it being included in the trade to acquire Capela, a trade we’ll get to later.
Omari was traded to Minnesota at the deadline as a part of the D’Angelo Russell, Andrew Wiggins deal but the 22-year-old showed enough promise to grind out a long career in the NBA. Jones, on the other hand, might have a hard time finding a spot on an NBA roster next season.