The Atlanta Hawks are back active in the trade market.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, "The Sacramento Kings are trading guard Devin Carter and a future second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks," with little information on exactly what Atlanta had to give up. Most would assume something minimal, like cash considerations.
Now that two pretty notable moves in the trade market have been agreed upon, there is no question that the Hawks have learned from their most recent playoff series what they desperately need to improve on.
Atlanta lacked a sustainable amount of shot-creation, particularly in the backcourt. Now, they've already done enough to warrant excitement for both the immediate and the long-term.
Devin Carter has become one of the league's most underrated guards
Sacramento didn't handle Carter's situation well. Instead of letting the former first-round pick develop properly on a subpar team, they brought in a group of veterans who would do just enough to maybe fight for a playoff spot, but limit the amount of immediate growth their young weapons would get.
Now, Carter lands in a situation where he'll still have to fight for nightly minutes in a deep rotation, but his path is much clearer, given where the Hawks struggled for much of last season and into the postseason.
At worst, he'll give Atlanta a reliable, exciting option for when one of CJ McCollum or Kingston Flemings goes down. He's strictly a point guard, so it limits his direct path when the roster is fully healthy, but the front office is choosing to leave no doubt in their depth.
He's a very, very solid defensive player, despite being pretty undersized at the one. Like the newly-drafted Flemings, he plays a lot bigger than he is, and it's clear the exact type of guard they're prioritizing.
Last season, in a mostly inconsistent role with the Kings, Carter averaged just under nine points per game, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
Carter is just another example of Saleh using flexibility to his advantage
A move like this, or even a move like the previous Aaron Wiggins deal, wouldn't be able to come to fruition without a series of bold moves. They've heavily emphasized their interest in acquiring expiring contracts and future draft capital, for the specific purpose of having options down the line.
Carter is a culture fit, too. A young, defensive-minded guard with plenty of offensive potential is always welcome in Atlanta, and it'll be fascinating to see just what they plan on doing with him when he touches down.
Welcome to Atlanta, Devin!
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