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The Atlanta Hawks have internally discussed the possibility of trading for Steven Adams.

Adams is due to make $27 million next season before becoming a free agent in 2021. Adams signed an extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016.

The Thunder are expected to embark on a rebuild and Adams is at an age where he could conceivably be young enough to remain part of their long-term plans.

The Hawks have identified center as a position of need.

I mean it doesn’t affect their long term plans financially, but they have a bunch of centers already who play with minutes. Len, Jones, Bruno

This move doesn’t make sense for the Hawks at this point, but it’s the Hawks, so there you go.

I hope for Adams sake, he ends up on a playoff team, but he’ll make $27 million next year so I won’t feel bad for him should he end up in exile.

Not2BeBothered wrote:I mean it doesn’t affect their long term plans financially, but they have a bunch of centers already who play with minutes. Len, Jones, Bruno

If this was the move they were interested in they should of made it during the offseason

would be pretty dumb for okc to trade him at this point.

dont be a joke team. you're at .500 and in the playoffs over 1/3 into the season. go for it.

Surely you can find a centre that would approximate Adams for a lot less than $27 million

Don’t the Hawks have Alex Len playing pretty well for them?

MoochieNorris wrote:would be pretty dumb for okc to trade him at this point.

dont be a joke team. you're at .500 and in the playoffs over 1/3 into the season. go for it.

Go for what exactly? The 8th seed so they can be swept and miss out on a lottery pick? A lottery pick where you have much better odds of jumping up than previous years.

This would be a great move so long as price is not to high.

Top dollar offers I would consider:
Nets pick, Huerter, a big expiring contract; or subtract Huerter and add a protected 1st in 2021 or 2022 instead

There is probably only one center, Wiseman, in the draft who will eventually be as good defensively as Adams. Hawks will have him for next season and if things go well could re-sign him.

Not2BeBothered wrote:I mean it doesn’t affect their long term plans financially, but they have a bunch of centers already who play with minutes. Len, Jones, Bruno

Len and Jones are free agents next season. If the Hawks did this it would be more for a playoff push next season than this one. They would have to win 35 out of the remaining 52 games to get 41 wins. Probably to much to expect even with Adams and then Collins coming back next week.

eureca20 wrote:

MoochieNorris wrote:would be pretty dumb for okc to trade him at this point.

dont be a joke team. you're at .500 and in the playoffs over 1/3 into the season. go for it.

Go for what exactly? The 8th seed so they can be swept and miss out on a lottery pick? A lottery pick where you have much better odds of jumping up than previous years.

They just came off paying a lot more to be a first round exit team.. There is something to be said about making the playoffs. Also they already have a ton of picks.. Personally I watch a couple of Thunder games here and there because they are a decent team that's interesting.. Wouldn't watch a thing if they tank obviously.. Now if the pick or player offered is compelling enough i think they should consider it..

MoochieNorris wrote:would be pretty dumb for okc to trade him at this point.

dont be a joke team. you're at .500 and in the playoffs over 1/3 into the season. go for it.

It's bad for them to make the playoffs this year. They have Shai and nothing else going forward. Accumulate assets and build.

There are lots of good free agent centers in the summer. Maybe the Hawks should wait a little longer.

Adams is a great target. He's what, 25, 26? Has nothing to do with making a playoff push this season. It's about the next five years.

Atlanta isn't exactly a prime FA destination. If Adams is the guy they want to lock up long-term to shore up their defense, go for it.

eureca20 wrote:

MoochieNorris wrote:would be pretty dumb for okc to trade him at this point.

dont be a joke team. you're at .500 and in the playoffs over 1/3 into the season. go for it.

Go for what exactly? The 8th seed so they can be swept and miss out on a lottery pick? A lottery pick where you have much better odds of jumping up than previous years.

Tanking can start a vicious cycle far worse than the dreaded 'mediocrity treadmill'. High draft picks are never even close to guaranteed to be good, let alone franchise type players. Losing can cast a pall over a team, and usually it isn't worth the slightly better odds of picking a better player, especially since the lottery odds have been adjusted. Look at teams like Boston and Dallas. Neither purposefully tanked, yet they came up with serious playoff contenders anyway, and without alienating fans. Every player on a winning team tends to have more trade value than if those same players are on a loser. Is tanking the trade value of the players on a team's roster worth the higher draft pick? Probably not. Also, young players get accustomed to losing and can develop less effectively because of it. If it appears that the franchise is embarking on a multi-year tank-job, players will be much less motivated to produce, stunting their development. Those players who do improve will be more likely to leave during free agency, or ask for more than market value contracts, or demand a trade. A player who had to deal with a multi-year tank is far less likely to tolerate a future injury-related down year for the team. And other team's free agents may be less motivated to join such a team. Fan pressure can force a sudden switch from a long-term tank process to a win-now process that then would likely lead to a series of bad decisions. Such bad decisions will usually create a situation that could create a multi-decade streak of bad basketball that can leave fans disgusted and anyone with any talent, from execs, to coaches, to players, with big reasons to avoid such a team, no matter how much money is offered. Generally, the downward spiral of tanking just isn't worth it.

There is a good chance the team could trade Adams and Gallo and still stay in the playoff hunt, and there is little reason not to do so. Specifically for OKC, making the playoffs would likely make CP3 more tradeable, since other teams would see that he can still be a leader of a winner. And SGA could benefit greatly from more playoff experience, especially as the team's star.

MoochieNorris wrote:would be pretty dumb for okc to trade him at this point.

dont be a joke team. you're at .500 and in the playoffs over 1/3 into the season. go for it.

Doesn’t it depend on what the Thunder get in return? I’m pretty sure at this point their goal isn’t to secure the 8th seed in a rebuilding year. And if they finish 9th or 10th instead, I’m not sure how one result makes them a a joke while the other doesn’t?

MoochieNorris wrote:would be pretty dumb for okc to trade him at this point.

dont be a joke team. you're at .500 and in the playoffs over 1/3 into the season. go for it.

Whose to say it won't make them better? Get rid of salary, you have Noel, who might even be better than Adams (Noel is a per minute monster this year with much improved FT shooting, he's at 82 percent currently) and it can give them a chance to land a player that fills in a bigger need, such as a SG. It's a win-win for them

I like this move for them he will add toughness to the team. They also have some assets that the Thunder may like and can absorb some of his contract I believe. I think chandler parsons deal matches Adams but the thunder look like they are competing for a playoff seed.

I am not even sure he would pass his medicals based off of what I've heard he's playing through. I am not sure why he's not more cautious given his age tbh.

mhi wrote:I am not even sure he would pass his medicals based off of what I've heard he's playing through. I am not sure why he's not more cautious given his age tbh.

Is it possible to "play cautious" and play at this level? I would argue that it is not.