Will the Atlanta Hawks that take the floor for the season opener on October 23 versus the Brooklyn Nets be the same group that takes the floor on April 13 against the Orlando Magic?
Even when subtracting injuries, that question will linger over the Atlanta Hawks.
It is likely to last through the trade deadline in February and through the post-deadline cut/free agency surge that typically follows. The Hawks have made enough changes to stand pat and at least see what the current group has.
However, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale suggested a trade to “inspire the NBA’s worst defenses” and the Hawks certainly qualified.
Atlanta would send Larry Nance Jr. to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Dean Wade and Ty Jerome.
Grading the trade: Proposal sends Cavs duo to Hawks for Larry Nance Jr.
The Hawks’ social media team rolled out a video clip to welcome him to Atlanta, for whatever that is worth in the grand scheme of things. Still, he was already viewed as the Hawks’ big man with the most trade value even as Capela was readily available by all accounts.
Favale’s suggestion would help balance out the Hawks’ roster a bit, freeing up more minutes for backup center Onyeka Okongwu, who has started a four-year, $61.9 million contract extension.
The Hawks must free up minutes at the 4 spot if they keep him behind Capela at that rate.
“Nance has plenty of defensive utility in his own right, but he's a tad redundant when Atlanta also has Clint Capela, Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson on the roster. This isn't a huge deal if the Hawks are intending to play small and/or move Capela, or if they believe Nance can check wings most of the time,” Favale wrote on September 12, noting that the final possibility should be out of the question.
“Atlanta needs more of a true-wing defender. Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher are viable options but profile as imperfect. Daniels' offensive value exists on shaky ground if he doesn't have the ball, and expecting Risacher to emerge as a net-positive two-way ring in his rookie season is an awfully big ask.”
On the surface, this deal would at least reunite Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter with college teammate Ty Jerome. The duo won a national championship together at Virginia in 2019 on a team boasting a top-flight defense. It would also pair Nance with his younger brother, Pete, in Cleveland.
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.
Cavaliers Reunite With Former Fan Favorite in Proposed Trade With Hawks
Whether or not the Cavaliers should do this deal is a little bit more complicated. Favale notes this would likely be a first-domino-type of roster move for them.
“This trade likely needs to beget another for the Cavs. Reuniting with Nance will do wonders for their secondary front-line rotation, but if they're looking to avoid the tax and re-sign Isaac Okoro (restricted), they'll need to shed some salary,” Favale wrote.
“Georges Niang or Caris LeVert are already candidates to be moved in service of acquiring another wing. This deal increases the likelihood, and necessity, of doing that. And if the Cavs are prepared for the necessary financial finagling, they can remove Jerome from the package entirely.”
Favale’s proposal would add nearly $2.5 million to the Cavs’ bottom line.
The Cavaliers re-signed veteran Tristan Thompson, meaning Nance would not have to log too many minutes in double-duty behind starters Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
This deal would also give the Cavaliers more room to work under the luxury tax. Like Nance, Jerome is on an expiring contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025. But Wade is in Year 2 of a three-year, $18.5 million contract.
Another $6.6 million in wiggle room is nothing to sneeze at in the current CBA landscape.
The Cavaliers also have several options to replace what they would lose with Jerome and Wade if they agreed to a deal like this.
Grade – B: Like the Hawks, the (long-term) financial and roster balance implications of this deal make more than enough sense on paper even if neither side raises its ceiling that much.