The Atlanta Hawks should not swing for the fences in a potential Anthony Davis trade, as the next AD could be on his way to the team this offseason anyway.
After a draft day trade that looks better with each day, the Hawks landed the rights to the New Orleans Pelicans first round pick this season. Because the pick is a swap with the Milwaukee Bucks, who are also a lottery team, Atlanta has the top odds at landing the first overall pick this offseason as of today.
If the Hawks indeed end up with the top selection, Christopher Klein has Duke freshman Cameron Boozer at the top of his big board. Boozer, the son of 13-year NBA veteran Carlos Boozer, carries striking similarities to Davis as a prospect.
Klein’s justification for the nod was, “Cam Boozer is the best player in college basketball as an 18-year-old freshman. It's that simple.” It’s hard to argue with this point – players as impactful as Boozer at such a young age almost always turn out to be reliable NBA stars. When you consider the Blue Devil has no true weaknesses and would instantly solve Atlanta’s questionable interior presence, picking Boozer is a no-brainer.
Boozer would make Davis redundant in Atlanta
Boozer’s resume could not be more similar to Davis’s coming out of Kentucky. Both players are versatile defenders at the power forward position with intriguing perimeter skills. Both players were the best players in college basketball as a freshman, which is an exceedingly rare trait even in top prospects.
Boozer is obviously the more attractive asset for Atlanta. Davis is in the first year of a three-year, $175 million deal. He is also 32 years old and has a host of injury concerns that have plagued his career, including a hand injury he is actively nursing. On the contrary, Boozer’s salary as the #1 pick is projected to start at $11.5 million – less than 20% of what Davis will earn next season. He also has no notable injury record.
Davis would be the better player at the start of their NBA careers, but expect Boozer to catch up quickly. Boozer is one of the most high-IQ and quick-thinking 18-year-olds in recent memory, which will shorten the learning curve that most rookie bigs fall into. This, combined with his elite physical traits and high-level deep shot, makes Boozer a truly can’t-miss prospect.
Davis’s injury has slowed trade rumors, but the Hawks could still be interested in a “buy-low” deal. Even if the Hawks could hypothetically trade nothing for Davis, I would still be against a move.
Why on Earth would you risk a young core starring Boozer, one of the best prospects in recent memory, alongside budding star Jalen Johnson, to add Anthony Davis, of all players? It simply makes no sense. Onsi Saleh should steal a page from Sam Hinkie and trust the process by waiting just five months to see whether the team lands a top pick like Boozer.