Atlanta Hawks urged to pursue trade for $172M combo guard
The Atlanta Hawks may need to think outside of the box if they want to improve significantly this offseason and target Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a trade. Their 4-1 first-round playoff series loss to the Miami Heat led to some introspection from players, coaches, management, and even ownership.
When many levels of an organization agree that change is necessary, change is most likely coming.
What that change should look like with suggestions ranging from trading for Rudy Gobert, and signing Kyrie Irving, to revisiting a Ben Simmons trade. We also saw calls to pursue Robert Covington in free agency before he resigned in L.A.
But what about the less obvious moves?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would make a perfect backcourt mate for Trae Young with the Atlanta Hawks
Every year there is a surprise star that wants out of a bad situation or a team that needs to shed salary, The Hawks have positioned themselves to take advantage of that for the last two seasons and sound ready to take that leap. While there have been overtures for the likes of Simmons and others, 92.9 The Game’s Nick Kayal has a different suggestion.
He begins his argument by calling for an “overhaul” and “significant changes” in the place of minor tweaks to the roster.
"If he’s available, if he can be had, go get me Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder. That cat can play. He would be the perfect pairing in the backcourt with Trae. He’s 6’6. He can play off-ball, he can play with the ball. He can be the ‘1.’ He can be the ‘1A.’ We could have Trae Young at 28-9 per game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can get you 25-5-5 across the board per game."
This isn’t just a raw numbers argument, though. Gilgeous-Alexander would help solve the non-Young minutes which have been a problem since the Hawks’ point guard entered the league.
"You would have a go-to bonafide volume scorer when Trae is on the bench taking a break. And then vice versa…We can’t have these stretches anymore where Trae gets his 12, 11, 10 minutes to catch his breath and throw the ice on the knee and throw the warmups back on and the offense goes stagnant. We need scorers."
Kayal explains that the production of Bogdan Bogdanovic, John Collins, and Kevin Huerter is appreciated. But the Hawks need guys that “on a bad night, drop 22 while shooting 35% from the floor”.
As for what Kayal would be willing to give up, he said earlier in the segment that only Young should be untouchable and said he would be willing to part with the current trio of Hawks that he named in addition to multiple first-round picks leaving us with the framework for a potential deal.
We can make a proposal work based on Kayal’s preferences if the Hawks can get the Thunder to add point guard Ty Jerome in the mix – Jerome and Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter were National Championship teammates at the University of Virginia.
Jerome will also be heading into the final year of his rookie deal next season. The Thunder could make him a restricted free agent.
OKC gets a pair of young pieces in Collins and Huerter. Both are under 25 years old and the Thunder can keep or flip them for more draft picks. The 33-year-old Gallinari would likely fall in the latter category.
A side-step 3-pointer from OKC’s leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied the game with 1.7 seconds left, but it was a last-second 60-foot heave from Devonte’ Graham that gave the Pelicans the 113-110 win on Wednesday night.
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 16, 2021
The biggest roadblock is the massive five-year, $172 million contract extension Gilgeous-Alexander signed with the Thunder last summer.
On top of preventing him from being traded until June, it would also seem to signal that Sam Presti sees the former Los Angeles Clipper as a significant piece of the Thunder’s rebuild alongside Josh Giddey.
And Gilgeous-Alexander has been on board with OKC’s rebuild too, writes The Oklahoman’s Joe Musatto, who says the fourth-year guard is “at the center” of the team’s plans.
"Some have questioned if Gilgeous-Alexander is on board with the Thunder’s rebuild…but there’s been no indication…that Gilgeous-Alexander is discontent."
Drafted 11th overall in 2018, Gilgeous-Alexander has said he is “excited” about the Thunder’s future despite missing the postseason each of the last two seasons. He had made the playoffs in each of his first two years in the league.
"We talk all the time,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, “and every time we talk I get a little bit more excited. I think Sam, myself, and Coach Mark (Daigneault), we have that trust in each other,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I can’t go into details, but we’re excited for the future."
Still, NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin said the door on a Gilgeous-Alexander trade is not completely shut at this point.
"He doesn’t necessarily fit the timeline with where this team is going to go. Josh Giddey does…They’ve got some nice young talent. They have…3,025 draft picks over the next five years…I think he’s available. But the cost would be high."
Perhaps Helin underestimates Gilgeous-Alexander’s fit within OKC’s timeline. He did agree with the fit on the Hawks roster as a capable floor-general and multi-positional defender.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged a career-high 24.5 points per game this season. He averaged 30.4 points per game on 54% shooting after the All-Star break
Next. Proposed trade lands Hawks $177M defender, ‘instant offense’. dark
Adding a talent like Gilgeous-Alexander to the Hawks would be great. And those with their ears to the ground may not think it is impossible. But it still seems just this side of unlikely.