Senior NBA Insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets have held trade discussions this month involving potential frameworks centered around Buddy Hield and Dorian Finney-Smith.
No deal appears imminent, but Atlanta's interest may reveal more about its direction than the actual trade talks.
The Hawks already finished ninth in defensive rating last season before strengthening their perimeter personnel this offseason. With Dyson Daniels, Lu Dort and Nickeil Alexander-Walker now forming a potentially lethal defensive trio, Atlanta has legitimate reason to believe a top-five defense could be within reach.
Finney-Smith would only reinforce that identity. Whether Atlanta ultimately acquires him is almost secondary to what the interest suggests: President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh appears determined to build a roster capable of overwhelming opponents defensively.
Finney-Smith would give Atlanta another defensive weapon
Finney-Smith has built his reputation around being a dependable and versatile defender capable of matching up with different positions. Adding another player with that profile would give Quin Snyder even more flexibility when constructing lineups around Daniels, Dort and Alexander-Walker.
That's what makes Atlanta's reported interest particularly intriguing. The Hawks aren't simply collecting good defenders; they appear to be prioritizing players who can be moved around different assignments and give Snyder multiple answers depending on the opponent.
Atlanta already took a significant step defensively last season by finishing inside the top 10. Adding Dort this offseason gives the Hawks an All-Defensive caliber presence alongside Daniels, while Alexander-Walker's versatility provides another difficult matchup for opposing perimeter scorers.
Finney-Smith could add another layer to that formula. Snyder could potentially deploy several combinations featuring switchable defenders without sacrificing the physicality necessary to handle bigger wings, giving Atlanta a defensive identity capable of translating into the postseason.
DFS would seamlessly fit into a crowded Hawks forward room
The Hawks don't necessarily need Finney-Smith to become elite defensively. However, their willingness to explore another defense-first addition suggests Saleh isn't satisfied with merely maintaining what worked last season.
He would certainly be an intriguing return because his skillset directly complements the identity Atlanta is building. But Saleh shouldn't feel pressured to complete a trade simply because training camp is approaching and the roster still requires another decision.
Atlanta already has the personnel to become one of the NBA's best defensive teams, yet their interest in Finney-Smith suggests the front office believes there may still be another level to reach.
Whether Finney-Smith ultimately arrives or not, Saleh's vision is becoming increasingly obvious. Atlanta isn't merely trying to improve its defense anymore — the Hawks appear intent on making it the foundation of who they are.
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