Start, Bench, Cut: Sorting through the Hawks’ power forward options
Wildcard: Pascal Siakam/Finding an Upgrade at Power Forward
The Hawks’ persistently rumored pursuit of Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam suggests they need to upgrade the position.
Siakam would be an instant upgrade even over the departed John Collins, who was traded to the Utah Jazz this offseason. But word of his unwillingness to commit to a new team if he is traded could be unsettling for a front office. Still, as we saw with the Raptors’ trade for Kawhi Leonard, the results can be worth it.
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The Hawks are said to have offered a package that included both Griffin and Hunter. But there is also an outside belief that rookie Kobe Bufkin could be the piece that puts the deal over the top for Toronto who had eyes for him leading up to the draft.
If the Hawks were willing to go to such measures to bring Siakam in, they could be willing to explore other options as well.
Some of those options might not present themselves until closer to the February trade deadline.
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That could work out in the Hawks’ favor, though, since it gives them a chance to evaluate their in-house options before committing more resources to another blockbuster trade. They are still in debt after acquiring Dejounte Murray last offseason, with draft picks owed to the San Antonio Spurs in 2025 and 2027 as well as a potential swap in 2026.