The Atlanta Hawks were a team increasingly linked to New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram before the 2025 trade deadline. This was after the Hawks passed on acquiring Ingram in the trade sending De’Andre Hunter to the Pelicans during the 2024 offseason.
The Hawks instead traded Hunter to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line that hesitation about paying Ingram is one reason. But the Hawks made the right decision.
Atlanta also discussed trading Hunter with the Toronto Raptors, who acquired Ingram instead.
“Sources say that the Cavaliers viewed the Raptors as their foremost threat to landing Hunter while also being cognizant that the Pelicans and Hawks were discussing frameworks that could have sent Ingram to Atlanta and Hunter to New Orleans,” Fischer wrote on February 12.
“It was frequently stressed in the build-up to the deadline that the Hawks, unlike the Raptors, were not eager to sign Ingram to an immediate extension. Atlanta, you see, had been exploring Hunter trade possibilities for some time and seemingly regarded Ingram as an intriguing response to losing him that could have provided some interesting optionality this summer.”
Ingram is in the final year of a four-year, $158.2 million contract. After the trade, he agreed to a three-year, $120 million extension with the Raptors.
Spotrac estimates Ingram will earn $38 million in 2025-26.
The Hawks acquired Caris LeVert and Georges Niang from the Cavs in the Hunter trade. LeVert is an unrestricted free agent after the season, but Niang is on the books for $8.2 million and his will be an expiring contract in 2025.
Hawks appear to choose future financial flexibility over competing in 2024-25
The Hawks have gotten off to a 3-0 start after the trade deadline, making it difficult to suggest they made a mistake in trading Hunter or even criticizing the return too heavily.
Hunter led all bench scorers and had seamlessly reintegrated into the starting lineup before the trade. However, he is in Year 2 of a four-year, $90 million pact. He has also been injury-prone in his career, including a series of knee issues and efforts to manage it.
Likewise, Ingram has dealt with injuries throughout his career.
Acquiring Ingram would have given the Hawks a higher ceiling on paper this season. But how reliable would he be going forward, especially on what is a more expensive deal than Hunter’s?
The Hawks also traded Bogdan Bogdanovic to the Los Angeles Clippers for Terance Mann and Bones Hyland. That move will save them $1.7 million since they waived Hyland with Mann starting a three-year, $47 million extension.
We must wait for the offseason to see many of the lingering questions answered.