It's difficult to stand pat after suffering an unexpected postseason defeat. Hawks fans know it best, and now the Oklahoma City Thunder will have some interesting decisions to make following their Western Conference Finals elimination to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Hawks were already expected to be one of the more active teams in trade discussions as the early part of the offseason takes shape, and now the Thunder may be joining them. It's clear they need some reinforcements, particularly in the frontcourt, as they prepare for a yearly battle against Victor Wembanyama.
Luckily for them, and also for Atlanta, there might be an ideal Wemby counter in the upcoming draft.
There is an obvious draft trade scenario involving the two franchises
Looking at where the two ball clubs landed in the lottery, discussions between them would come as no surprise. Each of them own two first-round selections, with the Hawks at eight and 23 and the Thunder at 12 and 17.
It's a loaded class, meaning any team that wants to trade up would have to part with significant capital in the process. It could be worth it, though, as Oklahoma City likely won't see their dream target fall all the way to 12.
Michigan's Aday Mara makes perfect sense for the Thunder to be intrigued by. His size alone makes him a worthy investment, as they simply need anyone who can match Wemby's historic length. This is their championship window, and they don't have time to sit around and get complacent.
Atlanta's been linked to Mara heavily with the eighth-overall selection, and it would be brilliant to utilize that leverage in any trade discussions they partake in. Plenty of Western Conference groups should show a significant level of interest in moving up.
Oklahoma City won't be able to pay everyone on their roster long-term, and making a deal with the Hawks to move up would allow them to get some value while they still can.
This could be a perfect win-win as a deal would address multiple needs
Atlanta needs a stable shot-creator in their backcourt who matches the timeline, and Oklahoma City needs additional size and strength in the backcourt. If they begin trade discussions, the Hawks would be foolish to not inquire about Cason Wallace or Ajay Mitchell while they give the Thunder a chance at Mara.
Wallace, in particular, would make sense due to his impressive defensive arsenal and familiarity with the organization. His brother, Keaton, has been on the team for the last couple of seasons, and a family reunion could give each of them a competitive edge.
The Hawks and Thunder feel like they were made to engage in conversations this summer. Both teams are looking to stay the course while also improving around the margins. A draft-night trade between the two is almost becoming too obvious to ignore.
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