The Atlanta Hawks were one of the busiest teams at the 2025 trade deadline, making several trades.
They sent Bogdan Bogdan Bogdanovic with three draft picks to the Los Angeles Clippers in their second trade of the day. It followed a trade sending De’Andre Hunter to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This deal, though, has clearer upside this season than the other.
That deal brought back some pre-swapped first-round pick swaps and veterans Caris LeVert and Georges Niang.
This time, the Hawks received Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland and Terance Mann. Atlanta sent three second-round picks to the Clippers in the deal, none of which are coming directly from the Hawks themselves.
That is a key component to their final grade.
“Three second-round picks heading from Atlanta to Los Angeles along with Bogdan Bogdanovic, per source: 2025 Minnesota, 2027 Clippers' own, 2026 Memphis (protected 43-60),” NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on X on February 6.
The Hawks shaved roughly $500,000 off their books in 2026-27 with this trade, moving off Bogdanovic’s four-year, $68 million contract ($16M in 2024-25).
Mann,28, is under contract at $15.5 million in Year 1 of a three-year, $47 million deal.
Hyland is 24 and in the final year of a four-year, $4.1 million deal. He will be a restricted free agent this coming offseason, giving the Hawks flexibility on how to proceed with the former No. 26 overall pick (2021).
At his peak in 2021-22, Mann averaged 10.8/5.2/2.6 while Hyland had an 11.8/3/1/2.4 line while splitting the 2022-23 season between the Clippers and Denver Nuggets.
Bogdanovic’s 10.0 PPG and 30.1 3P% are career-low marks.
Bogdanovic has shown the higher ceiling as a scorer. But his age and injury history suggest he could be on a downward trend, even if his current struggles to subside this season. For that, the Hawks should be applauded.
They also received a slew of protected first and second-round picks in the Hunter trade, so their net loss is minimized, especially if either of Hyland or Mann prove worthy of sticking around.
Grade – B: Bogdanovic was a fan favorite who proved to be a dynamic scorer in the starting lineup or off the bench. But the Hawks pulled the trigger on a deal for useful rotation players before the bottom inevitably fell out.
Bogdan Bogdanovic lands in ironic destination with Hawks trade
Bogdanovic’s down season is a disappointment on many levels. But it is especially discouraging coming off his strong showing in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
Bogdanovic missed 13 games with leg issues after playing in the regular season opener. He appeared in 15 of the Hawks’ next 22 games, averaging 11.1 PG and shooting 33.3% from long range.
He regressed though, averaging 8.6 PPG (24.6% 3P) over his last nine appearances.
Bogdanovic has not suited up since January 27 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was designated as “not with the team” in a clear indication of the Hawks’ plans.
The kicker for the Clippers is that their star, Kawhi Leonard, has been plagued by knee injuries in recent seasons. To acquire Bogdanovic for two younger players and double down on that risk seems short-sighted, especially for a team that is sixth in the Western Conference standings.
The Clippers need Bogdanovic to remain healthy and return to form.
He will almost certainly be motivated, especially when the Clippers visit the Hawks in March for the final matchup of the season between the two franchises. The Hawks won the first.
Grade – C-: The Clippers are taking a big chance on Bogdanovic amid a postseason race, though getting draft capital back for a proven performer mitigates some of that risk.