The Atlanta Hawks have been a team mentioned in trade rumors ahead of the deadline on February 6. However, as dominos continue to fall around the league following the two blockbuster trades from the weekend, the Hawks could get left out.
Perhaps not entirely, but they could miss out on making their most impactful moves, which would likely entail moving one or both of Bogdan Bogdanovic or Clint Capela.
That is where the problems could arise, particularly when it comes to Capela.
Capela profiles as a logical target for the Los Angeles Lakers following their trade for Luka Doncic that cost them Anthony Davis. However, their intentions of using Gabe Vincent and, in particular, Maxi Kleber to anchor a deal face a “significant hurdle.”
“Kleber (who came to the Lakers in the Dončić deal) can only be traded in a one-for-one deal rather than being aggregated,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote on February 4. “Conceivably, that takes options like Atlanta big man Clint Capela (who is on an expiring deal worth $22.2 million) off the board.”
Capela has missed the Hawks’ last four games with back spasms. But there is reason to believe part of the impetus for his absence is to keep him healthy enough to trade.
Bogdanovic has simply been listed as “not with team” during his five-game absence.
Where all of this leaves the Hawks – and Capela – ahead of the deadline remains unclear. It is possible they are comfortable rolling with Capela for the rest of the regular season. But the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency next offseason is great.
Capela is in the final year of a two-year, $46 million contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent after the season without a new deal in place.
The Hawks have already replaced him, literally and figuratively, with Onyeka Okongwu.
There is no reason for the Hawks to hold on to Capela beyond the trade deadline, especially if they do not see themselves making a deep run into the postseason. They have more time with Bogdanovic, particularly because he is in Year 2 of a four-year, $68 million deal.
There is a club option for the final year of Bogdanovic’s deal too, which could make him an even more attractive trade target.
But a deal involving him or Capela, rather than both, is unlikely to yield anything substantial.
Such a move would likely just be a salary dump for future-focused assets like draft capital or even trade exceptions. That could be a miscalculation with Trae Young showing why he is a star worth building around this season.
It does not seem as though that is the Hawks’ first choice either, judging from reports of their interest in Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George.
A lot can still change before the 2025 trade deadline.