Onsi Saleh met with the media for the first time on Monday. Just one day before the NBA Draft, he made an aggressive move to bring in a quality veteran center. Kristaps Porzingis, the 29-year-old All-Star and NBA champion, is heading to Atlanta in a three-team deal.
Shams was not lying. This has been been one of the craziest offseasons in recent memory. Unlike any other year, several huge trades have gone down before the NBA Draft.
While the deal can not be finalized until the beginning of free agency, there are still some huge implications as a result of this for tomorrow's big night. Atlanta has a tough decision to make.
Hawks no longer have two first round picks.
Well, technically, Atlanta will be making the selection at 22. However, the pick here will be heading to Brooklyn once the deal is finalized. Terance Mann will be coming along with him.
Atlanta retaining their lottery pick this year in a huge move like this is excellent business. There will be more pressure, however, to make the right selection. It is hard to miss in a draft twice. With one pick now, it is important to identify a player who is guaranteed to not be a "bust".
This impacts who they may originally have been planning to select at 13. They acquired Porzingis, who is on a one-year deal, hinting at them going into "win-now" mode. What is great about a trade like this, though, is that it does not shorten Atlanta's success window in the least.
The chance of Atlanta drafting a teenager has decreased. It was smart last year but would be ill-advised to repeat. The franchise needs to, and likely will, select a player who fits their timeline. The idea of them drafting an NBA-ready wing, such as Cedric Coward, just got much more likely.
There is one player who Atlanta could still select, despite a logjam at that position.
Khaman Maluach to Atlanta is still on the table. The center rotation would be loaded, there is no question about it, but the Hawks have a chance to double-down on something they have been lacking for years: a true seven-foot big man.
Kristaps Porzingis is on an expiring contract. He is also injury-prone. Drafting a guy like Maluach as immediate insurance and a long-term plan is a move Hawks fans should be on board with. If the elite stretch big is only available for half the season, Atlanta would benefit from having another promising big man readily-available behind Onyeka Okongwu.