Moderators: Jamaaliver, dms269, HMFFL
I doubt you get 21 back in return. 13+future 1st+Kobe might be enough to get Utah to bite.tbhawksfan1 wrote:Kessler / #21 for Kobe / #13 / Future pick?
Draft Wolf / Will Riley for example
FA vet PG and re-sign Nance
Something like
Kessler / OO / Nance / Wolf
JJ / Mo / Niang
Ris / Vit / Riley
DD / LeVert / Mann
Trae / FA
tbhawksfan1 wrote:Kessler / #21 for Kobe / #13 / Future pick?
Draft Wolf / Will Riley for example
FA vet PG and re-sign Nance
Something like
Kessler / OO / Nance / Wolf
JJ / Mo / Niang
Ris / Vit / Riley
DD / LeVert / Mann
Trae / FA
HMFFL wrote:Trae will expect $60m per year when he's eligible for an extension, but let's keep trying to build around a borderline all-star that seems to make the team when another player gets injured.
FansidedBrad Rowland wrote:Hawks needs to fix the backup center position
If there is one defined “positional need” on the current Atlanta Hawks roster, it is at the backup center position. Atlanta does have other roster decisions to make, including whether to re-sign Caris LeVert and how to invest at the backup point guard spot, but the 2024-25 season ended with a glaring roster hole behind Onyeka Okongwu.
Admittedly, last season’s weakness was caused by injury. Both Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. were sidelined for the final two months and, with do-it-all power forward Jalen Johnson already out, options were quite limited. Still, Capela and Nance Jr. are free agents and, other than some flashes from Mo Gueye in the back half of the year, there aren’t ready-made replacements for them.
Today, we’ll take a glance at Atlanta’s pathways to bolster the frontcourt, remembering that it is a key need as the 2025-26 campaign looms.
Adding from the outside
The most attractive, and perhaps the most likely, option for the Hawks to fill the center minutes behind Onyeka Okongwu is an external acquisition. Atlanta could add either in free agency or via trade, and while the presence of Okongwu as a cost-controlled starting center does give the Hawks freedom, they have a need for stability behind him.
Trades are, of course, very difficult to project, though the Hawks do have mid-tier salary and two different trade exceptions to widen the scope of potential targets. From a free agent standpoint, Atlanta could look at Steven Adams or Brook Lopez on the high-end, perhaps by using the mid-level exception. The Hawks could also target Luke Kornet or Day'Ron Sharpe (restricted) if the price is right.
Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr.
Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. combined to play more than 1,600 minutes for the Hawks in 2024-25, with the majority of those minutes coming at center. In fact, the backup center problem didn't really exist for Atlanta until both Capela and Nance Jr. suffered what turned out to be season-ending injuries in February.
With that said, both veteran big men are hitting unrestricted free agency this summer. There is nothing stopping the Hawks from engaging either or both in contract negotiations, but there is mixed intel on the likelihood of either returning. The consensus reporting points to Nance Jr. being more likely to return, albeit at reduced cost, but it is also fair to note that he would not be an ideal No. 2 center behind Onyeka Okongwu, rather slotting into a utility big man role in a preferred world.
Capela should command considerable interest elsewhere, even if he (rightly) lost his starting job to Onyeka Okongwu midseason. Gone is the player that anchored Atlanta's defense in impressive fashion earlier this decade, but Capela is, at the very least, a quality backup center who will have options this summer.
The incumbent options for the Atlanta Hawks
At present, the Hawks have 11 players under team control, including three players who can plausibly fill center minutes. Of course, one of those is starting center Onyeka Okongwu, and this is a piece about backup center options, so he'll move to the side.
After that, 22-year-old big man Mo Gueye was primarily a power forward option for the Hawks this season, but he flashed to the center position down the stretch amid Atlanta's injury woes. Gueye does have immense defensive talent and the length required to play center in the NBA, though he currently excels more as a help defender. Historically, Atlanta has viewed him more as a 4 than a 5, but that could change.
Another big is Dom Barlow, who has a cheap team option that the Hawks must decide on by June 29. Barlow was on a Two-Way contract for much of the season and, while he does have intriguing offensive talent, it would be a leap to project him for the No. 2 center job in 2025-26. The appeal of Barlow is primarily through the lens of development and a bargain contract that can mature in a positive direction.
If Portland decides to add a second or two so be it.tester551 wrote:Portland fan here... Wanted to throw out a trade idea.
#11 <=> #13 + #22
I figure Portland would need to add some more value here. What would help bridge the gap?
Is 2 future 2nd rounders sufficient ('26 Memphis [43-60] & '27 Min)
Malcolm Brogdon was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of the Deni Avdija trade. He is a free agent, so pursuing him is an option, but at what price?Rebound Mound wrote:Why the Blazers would want to add two young players instead of just one when they already have a roster plenty of young talent.
If we are going to deal with Portland, I would try to get Brogdon, who is a heck of a player who can add experience and some scoring and creativuty. Although he has some similarities with Levert. But a bench core of Brogdon, Levert, Mann would be great... maybe a little overcrowded with Krejci...
HMFFL wrote:Malcolm Brogdon was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of the Deni Avdija trade. He is a free agent, so pursuing him is an option, but at what price?Rebound Mound wrote:Why the Blazers would want to add two young players instead of just one when they already have a roster plenty of young talent.
If we are going to deal with Portland, I would try to get Brogdon, who is a heck of a player who can add experience and some scoring and creativuty. Although he has some similarities with Levert. But a bench core of Brogdon, Levert, Mann would be great... maybe a little overcrowded with Krejci...
The trade was a bad fit for him. Maybe it was the Wizards system. Maybe it was from being traded, but his production was suspect, and we'll soon find out his value. Teams like Dallas can make him a starter and overpay since Kyrie is out next season.
I agree with you that he could be good for us, but I don't think he needs 10 field goal attempts per game with us off our bench. He is from Atlanta and played high school basketball at Greater Atlanta Christian in Norcorss, GA. Absolutely beautiful campus, highly desired, and expensive to attend.
Caris LeVert, to me, is more of a scorer. Being traded from Cleveland did him wonders because they demoted him last season, and now he will seek a big contract this off-season. I expect him to sign with a team in the first week of free agency to secure the bag. Caris averaging 11.6 field goals with us will be far too many once Jalen and the starters are all healthy.
Back to Portland. I think they only have three keepers on their team. Portland fans deserve better and a new owner is going to do wonders for them.
Enough rambling by me.
Rebound Mound wrote:HMFFL wrote:Malcolm Brogdon was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of the Deni Avdija trade. He is a free agent, so pursuing him is an option, but at what price?
I did not know Brogdon was traded. I knew he is from Atlanta. Nobody knows what are the conditions he is in... ha ha ha...
I prefer LeVert over Brogdon and probably Man n too. But Brogdon in a useful player if he is healthy and with energy.
But, as I said, with Krejci and Mann, Brogdon or LeVert is the question, or any other player is LeVert is gone. Probably we should not offer much to LeVert.
What is Boston attaching to him to get us to bite? He had his worst shooting year in a while, is old, and makes a ton. You are going to be paying over $30 a year for a plus defender who can only score 10ish points. That contract is an issue with Dyson's extension looming.Jamaaliver wrote:Rebound Mound wrote:HMFFL wrote:Malcolm Brogdon was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of the Deni Avdija trade. He is a free agent, so pursuing him is an option, but at what price?
I did not know Brogdon was traded. I knew he is from Atlanta. Nobody knows what are the conditions he is in... ha ha ha...
I prefer LeVert over Brogdon and probably Man n too. But Brogdon in a useful player if he is healthy and with energy.
But, as I said, with Krejci and Mann, Brogdon or LeVert is the question, or any other player is LeVert is gone. Probably we should not offer much to LeVert.
What are our thoughts on grabbing Jrue Holiday as our third guard?
Word is Boston will have to engage in salary dumps this summer as a cost saving method.
Jrue's reputation as a locker room leader is impeccable and he's still a capable defender.
He is coming off a down year for his standards. And, he has multiple years remaining under contract.
He was a key cog on a 60-win team this season.
Jamaaliver wrote:Rebound Mound wrote:HMFFL wrote:Malcolm Brogdon was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of the Deni Avdija trade. He is a free agent, so pursuing him is an option, but at what price?
I did not know Brogdon was traded. I knew he is from Atlanta. Nobody knows what are the conditions he is in... ha ha ha...
I prefer LeVert over Brogdon and probably Man n too. But Brogdon in a useful player if he is healthy and with energy.
But, as I said, with Krejci and Mann, Brogdon or LeVert is the question, or any other player is LeVert is gone. Probably we should not offer much to LeVert.
What are our thoughts on grabbing Jrue Holiday as our third guard?
Word is Boston will have to engage in salary dumps this summer as a cost saving method.
Jrue's reputation as a locker room leader is impeccable and he's still a capable defender.
He is coming off a down year for his standards. And, he has multiple years remaining under contract.
He was a key cog on a 60-win team this season.
tbhawksfan1 wrote:Jamaaliver wrote:What are our thoughts on grabbing Jrue Holiday as our third guard?
Can you describe the deal and why we would want it? I don't see it
Jamaaliver wrote:tbhawksfan1 wrote:Jamaaliver wrote:What are our thoughts on grabbing Jrue Holiday as our third guard?
Can you describe the deal and why we would want it? I don't see it
It's a salary dump for a great locker room vet who has two NBA titles and was the starting guard 11 months ago for one of the most dominant teams in recent NBA History. They won 125 regular season games with him in the rotation the last two years!!!
A move like this sets us up for a post season run next year with Jrue providing defense, shooting and veteran leadership off the bench for an otherwise young, inexperienced team.
I am legitimately flabbergasted that a young team in need of a veteran guard would turn a deal like this down.
(or maybe I shouldn't be...)
Jamaaliver wrote:tbhawksfan1 wrote:Jamaaliver wrote:What are our thoughts on grabbing Jrue Holiday as our third guard?
Can you describe the deal and why we would want it? I don't see it
It's a salary dump for a great locker room vet who has two NBA titles and was the starting guard 11 months ago for one of the most dominant teams in recent NBA History. They won 125 regular season games with him in the rotation the last two years!!!
A move like this sets us up for a post season run next year with Jrue providing defense, shooting and veteran leadership off the bench for an otherwise young, inexperienced team.
I am legitimately flabbergasted that a young team in need of a veteran guard would turn a deal like this down.
(or maybe I shouldn't be...)
Jamaaliver wrote:
That...is how buying low works. And why it would be a salary dump.
Jrue Holiday is a career 37% shooter from 3-pt range.
Since leaving New Orleans 5 seasons ago...he's shooting 39.3% from 3-pt range.
That includes this past season when he shot 35% from downtown.
Jrue had a down season as a shooter -- and still shot better than most players on our roster. (Including Trae)
Don't let the last 5 months undermine the last 5 years of consistent shooting efficiency.
As far as him retiring...who cares.
It's a salary dump. If he wants to leave via trade...we move him again in another salary dump when his contract is even shorter.
We need veterans, perimeter defense, back court depth, three point shooting.
The best team in the East is giving away a proven winner who fills every one of those needs -- for nothing.
It's kind of a no lose option.
