The Atlanta Hawks just made a big-swing trade for Lu Dort. They shipped Zaccharie Risacher to the Dallas Mavericks (and also received Ryan Nembhard in the trade), and the Oklahoma City Thunder got three second-round picks. As soon as Trae Young departed, the Hawks have given Jalen Johnson what he desperately needed in Atlanta.
A lineup that includes Dyson Daniels and Dort is exactly the type of defensive insulation that Young needed when he was with the Hawks. He got the chance to play with Daniels, but the combination of those two players – plus Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu – would have been perfect for Young.
Atlanta has committed to defense, but now, Young is no longer in town to reap the rewards of that reality.
Lu Dort trade would have helped Trae Young Hawks era
It’s no secret that Young is one of the best playmakers in the NBA today, but he’s also one of the league’s worst defenders. That’s why surrounding him with an elite defensive infrastructure is so important.
The Hawks tried to do that at times in Atlanta. They added Daniels, who was a great fit. Their trade for Dejounte Murray was also spuposed to help with their defense around Young.
But nothing Atlanta did during Young’s tenure with the organization compared to what they have done now. With Daniels and Dort on the roster, the Hawks now have two of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
Dort is an absolute menace on the perimeter. He’s a pest that opposing teams should have no interest in dealing with. That’s the type of player Young should want to play with.
The same can be said for Daniels, who has been one of the best perimeter defenders in the league for the last few years. He’s a steal machine and can guard so many different positions.
Johnson is now surrounded by a lineup of top-notch defenders, and he’s not a bad player on that end of the court, either. Placing a bunch of plus-defenders around him will absolutely help the Hawks next season.
Young is in a good place with the Washington Wizards. They have talented defenders lining the roster, but none of their perimeter guys are quite as good as Daniels and Dort.
As soon as Young left, the Hawks built a lineup that Young would have thrived in. They now have enough defense to make up for a guy as bad on defense as Young. But he’s already gone.
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