3 Proposed trades to land suggested 'top' targets for Atlanta Hawks

Hawks add depth from unrealized title contender in proposed trade

Grant does not fit with the Blazers’ timeline. But his contract is lengthy and he hardly turns the Hawks into a contender by himself.

That could mean the Hawks need to bolster their depth and ride the season out.

“If the season goes south for the Clippers without Paul George, Jones would be an ideal trade deadline target for Atlanta,” Swartz wrote. “The veteran forward is one of the best lob targets in the NBA given his special athleticism and would thrive off passes from Young.”

Jones averaged a career-best 8.3 points with 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game with the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks in 2023-24. 

He is not a good shooter, connecting on 34.3% of his triples in 2023-24 and 31.6% in his career.

But he is tremendously active and bouncy and played a key defensive role for Dallas in their run to the NBA Finals. He is also by far the cheapest option on the board in Year 1 of a three-year, $30 million pact.

The Hawks could try to substitute Larry Nance Jr. for Bufkin and/or Cody Zeller for Roddy to keep the younger options. 

This keeps switchable lineups featuring Jones, Nance, and Onyeka Okongwu on the table.

It also preserves size, with Zeller the tallest player on the roster and the Hawks having dealt with the side effects of being a smaller team for a few years now. Again, it is difficult to say this option raises the Hawks’ ceiling, either, making standing pat an appealing option.