The Atlanta Hawks are in desperate need of another playmaker. Not one to compete with or even really share the floor with Trae Young. Instead, the Hawks need to find a proper backup for the three-time All-Star.
With second-year guard Kobe Bufkin out for the season, the trade deadline is the Hawks’ best chance to address the issue.
Larry Nance Jr. was an ideal trade candidate, and he already drew interest.
However, he suffered a hand injury that required surgery in December. Nance is slated to be re-evaluated in the next week or so. But with the deadline on February 6, the Hawks are running out of time to get him back on the court.
“Larry Nance Jr. would have been a sought-after commodity at the trade deadline if he hadn't fractured the fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand late last month. A switchable center who can pass and hit the occasional three is a rare commodity. Though not a star or starter, the Atlanta Hawks' big man certainly would have drawn interest at an expiring $11.2 million,” Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes wrote on January 10. “Maybe he still can.
“With the new CBA making teams all over the league extremely cost-conscious, perhaps Atlanta could wrangle a rotation player from a team that wants Nance's expiring money.”
Hughes also suggested a trio of potential trade targets for the Hawks.
Hawks land former Spurs second-round pick in trade deadline pitch
San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones was the first potential trade target Hughes believes could solve the Hawks’ “toughest question.” The No. 41 overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, he is also the younger brother of Phoenix Suns point guard Tyus Jones.
He is not the scorer that his brother is, but Tre Jones has averaged 6.6 assists per game sooner in his career than his older brother did.
That was as a starter during the 2022-23 season, though his role his diminished since then.
Jones offers the best combination of youth and the other things the Hawks need from the backup PG role, most notably playmaking. But there is a bigger hurdle to this deal being completed.
The reason the Hawks cannot tank this season is that they owe the Spurs their 2025 first-round pick from the Dejounte Murray trade in 2022.
The Spurs have no incentive to help Atlanta, especially for an injured player on an expiring deal.
Jones is also in the final year of his two-year, $19 million contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent without a new deal being put in place, so it could cost Nance, draft capital, and additional future cap space to ensure Jones is not a rental.
Grade – B: This would be a solid trade, though it might also be the most unlikely given the Spurs’ interest in the Hawks losing.
Aging veteran could bring toughness to Hawks’ 2nd unit in offseason trade
T.J. McConnell is an intriguing candidate. At 32 years old, he would be tied for the oldest player on the Hawks’ roster, joining potential backcourt mate Bogdan Bogdanovic. However, because of the four-year, $44.8 million contract he signed in September, he cannot be traded until March.
That is well past the trade deadline meaning the Hawks would need to wait until the offseason to pursue him if they chose to do so.
Nance will be a free agent then, so a sign-and-trade is the only way that exact swap can work.
That would require a three-year commitment from the Pacers, though, and Nance – an Akron, Ohio native – can just choose his own team in free agency. The Pacers also already made a similar commitment to McConnell, potentially indicating their willingness to let him go.
While not thought of as a scorer, McConnell is averaging 10-plus points per game for the second straight season.
He had also found his three-point strong (on extremely low volume) before this season.
Grade – B-: McConnell’s competitiveness would mesh well with Bogdanovic and Dyson Daniels, that is if the Hawks can convince the Pacers to take on Nance with a multi-year deal.
Hawks land former Thunder 1st-round pick in pre-deadline trade pitch
Tre Mann is the youngest and tallest of Huges’ three suggestions. He is also the only former first-round pick (No. 18 overall in 2021) and is the best pure scorer of the bunch.
He also had the biggest role for his team – the Charlotte Hornets – though.
The Hornets are not in contention for a playoff spot, sporting the third-worst record in the NBA to this point. They are also a young team, so swapping out a promising 23-year-old who will be a restricted free agent for an aging player headed for unrestricted free agency might not jibe.
A 14 PPG-scorer is nothing to sneeze at, though. So it might behoove the Hawks to include another second-round pick to grease the wheels.
They already owe the Thunder their 2025 second-rounder from a previous deal.
The Hawks do own a second from the Minnesota Timberwolves that could suffice. Adding Mann – who is currently injured like Nance – could solve a long-standing issue for the Hawks at a relatively low cost. He is the final year of a four-year, $14 million pact.
However, the Hornets would have to add salary – Taj Gibson would suffice – to make the deal work financially. Would either side balk at that?
Grade – A: If the Hawks are not going to add a table-setter, an explosive scorer would certainly suffice so long as the Hornets are willing to play ball.