Hawks would land lengthy defensive duo for veteran flight risk in proposed trade with Cavaliers
The other key issue is that Nance is in the final year of his contract. For all that Nance brings to a team, are the Hawks positioned to take full advantage in 2024-25? If not, they need to consider moving him by the deadline.
At 31 years old – he turns 32 in January – Nance could have eyes on a more competitive situation and will have his choice of suitors in unrestricted free agency in 2025.
Getting something for him rather than noting is appealing. Jerome and Wade are useful too.
“Wade gives the Hawks a more bankable contributor. Injuries have dogged him the past couple of seasons, but at 6'9", he's shown the ability to guard basically every position. When this defensive package is complemented by a career 37.1 percent clip from downtown, his checkered health bill is worth rolling the dice on—particularly when he's under team control at sub-$7 million through 2025-26.
One of the biggest issues facing the Hawks entering this coming season is what happens when Trae Young is not on the floor?
That has been an issue in the past and figures to resurface with Dejounte Murray gone.
Jerome is not some preternatural passer or anything like that. His career-high for a season is 3.6 assists per game, set in his second NBA season across 33 games with one start. But he brings length, feisty defense, and has shown encouraging signs as a shooter.
“Jerome isn't some throw-in, either,” Favale wrote. “He's 6'5", with a nifty shooting stroke, and scraps like hell on the defensive end. His arrival also goes a long way toward deepening the second-string point guard minutes, which will currently be divvied up between Daniels, Kobe Bufkin and Vit Krejčí.”
The Hawks would save nearly $2.5 million in this deal. The biggest drawback to this deal is that the Hawks would need to cut another player to make room for Jerome and Wade.
Grade – B: Nance is a useful player – and having to surrender draft capital would be a reasonable walk-away point – but this makes sense financially and for roster balance.