3 trades the Hawks can make to replace Clint Capela by the deadline

December 15 is the next landmark date in the NBA regarding trades.

It is uncertain what that will mean for the Atlanta Hawks' plans. However, some moves seem more obvious than others, even with more than two months until the actual trade deadline in February.

One move that has been pushed by fans and media alike for some time is moving on from Clint Capela. There are several reasons not to. 

But there are even more reasons to do so for now and in the future. 

With Onyeka Okongwu, it would seem the Hawks already have Capela’s replacement. But we can look beyond that to find upgrades at the position given Okongwu’s inconsistency and undersized physical stature.

First up is the Chicago Bulls who have two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic, a potentially better fit for the Hawks than he may seem at first blush.

And the Hawks could sure up their backup PG role with one of his teammates, Jevon Carter.

Hawks swap defense for offense in trade proposal for Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic 

Vucevic is averaging 20.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and 3.2 APG. Most importantly for this discussion, though, he is shooting 46.5% from beyond the arc. That offensive versatility is exactly what the Hawks would be hoping to add.

Capela is the (far) superior defensive option. And the Hawks’ defense falls off significantly when the former rebounding champ is off the floor.

Defending the pick-and-roll with Vucevic and Trae Young would be a chore.

However, Vucevic has not been the hindrance he typically is this season. He would give the Hawks star a different type of outlet target. One who can roll to the rim, albeit not with the same explosiveness as Capela, but with the added element of flaring out for a catch-and-shoot triple.

The Hawks would have the defenders to place between the two All-Stars, narrowing their range of defensive concerns. The offense would truly be a five-out group.

Sending Bufkin and Capela’s expiring contract might not entice Chicago now.

However, the Bulls have more incentive than the Hawks to remain at or near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Chicago can only retain its 2025 first-round pick (currently owed to the San Antonio Spurs) if it falls in the top-10. They would also save money with this deal.

Quiet as kept, swapping the 2023 first-round pick, Bufkin, for the veteran, Carter, would be an upgrade for now for Atlanta. For Chicago, though, it adds another flier on a cheap contract.

Ideally, the Hawks would target Ayo Dosunmu over Carter.

That feels like a pipe dream, though. And it is debatable how much a move like this would even raise the Hawks’ ceiling. They have not had the current group together and healthy much this season, so it is difficult to even say what their ceiling is.

DeAndre Ayton still young enough to fit Hawks now, in the future in proposed trade

The big knock against Deandre Ayton throughout his career has been a lack of consistent engagement. Ayton has often looked disengaged and disinterested in the game and at critical moments during his career.

You know how you keep a(n uber-talented) big man engaged? Feed him.

Getting bigs the rock – rewarding them for defensive efforts or running the floor on offense – is vital to maximizing their impact.

There are none better at feeding the bigs than Young, who has a reliable target in Capela but could find an even better connection with Ayton. The Blazers big man is averaging 13.3 points, 10.5 boards, and 1.0 assists per game.

He is not a shot-blocker, but the Hawks are not a shot-blocking team anyway.

Ayton is also shooting a career-high 38.5% from beyond the arc on a career-high 1.2 deep attempts per game.

The Hawks would be adding roughly $4 million in salary with this move. But they would clarify their center position, and could still utilize Onyeka Okongwu as a super sub at both center and power forward.

The Blazers would shed salary and add a former first-round pick, albeit at a crowded position.

That is why the Hawks likely have to include draft capital. It is costly but could prove worth it in the long run, especially if they protect themselves as outlined above.

Hawks bring Nic Claxton back to GA in trade pitch

Nic Claxton is off to a slow start, averaging 8.6 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 1.2 BPG. But he is averaging a career-high 25 assists and posted back-to-back campaigns with at least 11.8 PG and 9.2 RPG coming into the 2024-25 season.

Claxton is a switchy big that would fit in many of the same ways Ayton would. 

Whereas Ayton can space the floor – Claxton can too, he has just eliminated the shot from his diet – his Nets counterpart influences the game defensively.

The Hawks could get greedy and try to pry Dennis Schroder loose too.

But he is a starter in Brooklyn and would likely cost too much more to make it a worthwhile deal for the Hawks to straddle two timelines. This deal would give the Hawks the same benefits as the others while not costing any of their youth.

It is always risky to include draft picks, and leaving one unprotected could be an understandable non-starter for Hawks general manager Landry Fields.

But the Nets have not traded Claxton yet so it could take a strong offer to get a deal done.

The Hawks would add money to their books in this deal. But they could alleviate that potential issue by making deals with some of their other players who have drawn interest in recent months. Zeller cannot be traded until December 15, so this deal (and the one for Ayton) would have to wait until then.