Grading Schlenk's Moves as GM

[Jamaaliver]

Any other major moves worth considering?

Grading Every NBA General Manager's Moves from the Past 3 Seasons

Travis Schlenk, Atlanta Hawks: A-



Notable Transactions:

• Traded No. 3 overall pick in 2018 (Luka Doncic) to Dallas Mavericks for No. 5 overall pick (Trae Young) and 2019 first-round pick (Cam Reddish) in 2018
  
• Drafted De'Andre Hunter No. 4 overall in 2019
  
• Drafted John Collins No. 19 overall in 2017
  
• Traded for center Clint Capela in 2020

The former assistant GM of the Golden State Warriors, Travis Schlenk has begun molding the Atlanta Hawks into a mini-version of his former champion teams.

Trae Young has flashes of Stephen Curry in his game with his incredible range and tight handles, and shooting guard Kevin Huerter has a similar 6'7", 190-pound frame to that of Klay Thompson (6'6", 215 lbs).

Collins was a brilliant pick outside the lottery in 2017 and is already averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and shooting 40.1 percent from three, with a hefty contract extension likely coming.

We've yet to see Capela play a game since a trade from the Houston Rockets, but Hunter and Reddish look like quality starters at least.

Schlenk will ultimately be judged on his passing on Doncic in favor of Young and the draft pick that became Reddish. While Doncic is the greater talent, Young is already an All-Star starter in his second year.

There's a lot of young talent on this team, but the Luka swap and a poor 20-47 overall record this season hurt his grade a little.

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

Trav's role in stabilizing the front office, hiring Lloyd and creating a less toxic culture are easy to overlook. We're on the right path at this point...even if it is taking longer than we would like.

[jayu70]

Trav's role in stabilizing the front office, hiring Lloyd and creating a less toxic culture are easy to overlook. We're on the right path at this point...even if it is taking longer than we would like.

I do agree that we are on the right path.
But is it really taking 'longer' though? I guess if he had done a better job this pass offseason? But regardless of what fans thought, TS was still in asset/talent acquisition mode.

We pretty much started our rebuild from scratch. We didn't have a high end talent like AD to trade for rebuilding pieces. I'll make a building construction reference:
Year 1: The Teardown - We actually had to 'clear the site of all the overgrown shrubs, dead trees, unsuitable soils etc.
Year 2: Acquire the Cornerstone and start laying out the foundation for what you'll build upon (Trae, Collins, Huerter)
Year 3: Commence the building of the Foundation (Reddish, Hunter, trade for Capella)
Year 4: Go vertical and reach for the stars .
This offseason will be big for TS. He's transitioning from basic asset/talent acquisition to having to build up the roster to compete for the playoffs.

[jayu70]

Any other major moves worth considering?

Grading Every NBA General Manager's Moves from the Past 3 Seasons

Travis Schlenk, Atlanta Hawks: A-



Notable Transactions:

• Traded No. 3 overall pick in 2018 (Luka Doncic) to Dallas Mavericks for No. 5 overall pick (Trae Young) and 2019 first-round pick (Cam Reddish) in 2018
  
• Drafted De'Andre Hunter No. 4 overall in 2019
  
• Drafted John Collins No. 19 overall in 2017
  
• Traded for center Clint Capela in 2020

The former assistant GM of the Golden State Warriors, Travis Schlenk has begun molding the Atlanta Hawks into a mini-version of his former champion teams.

Trae Young has flashes of Stephen Curry in his game with his incredible range and tight handles, and shooting guard Kevin Huerter has a similar 6'7", 190-pound frame to that of Klay Thompson (6'6", 215 lbs).

Collins was a brilliant pick outside the lottery in 2017 and is already averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and shooting 40.1 percent from three, with a hefty contract extension likely coming.

We've yet to see Capela play a game since a trade from the Houston Rockets, but Hunter and Reddish look like quality starters at least.

Schlenk will ultimately be judged on his passing on Doncic in favor of Young and the draft pick that became Reddish. While Doncic is the greater talent, Young is already an All-Star starter in his second year.

There's a lot of young talent on this team, but the Luka swap and a poor 20-47 overall record this season hurt his grade a little.

Bleacher Report

I guess you can add getting value for Taurean Prince (which he used in trade for Hunter) and owning up to his mistake in bringing back Dedmon to stabilize and be a voice in the locker room.

[Jamaaliver]

I guess you can add getting value for Taurean Prince (which he used in trade for Hunter) and owning up to his mistake in bringing back Dedmon to stabilize and be a voice in the locker room.

The Taurean swap was a move of pure brilliance.

I'm still salty regarding the overpay for D Hunter and the mishandling of Budenholzer's exit.

But those are minor quibbles.

[jayu70]

I guess you can add getting value for Taurean Prince (which he used in trade for Hunter) and owning up to his mistake in bringing back Dedmon to stabilize and be a voice in the locker room.

The Taurean swap was a move of pure brilliance.

I'm still salty regarding the overpay for D Hunter and the mishandling of Budenholzer's exit.

But those are minor quibbles.

If we had stayed at #8 who did you want us to take?
Speaking of salty.....TS's big offseason failing was not signing an adequate backup PG....I'm still salty over trading for Evan 'punch face' Turner.

[Jamaaliver]

The Taurean swap was a move of pure brilliance.

I'm still salty regarding the overpay for D Hunter and the mishandling of Budenholzer's exit.

But those are minor quibbles.

If we had stayed at #8 who did you want us to take?

If we'd stayed at 8, 10 & 17?

At the time, i was very interested in Sekou, Goga Bitadze, NAW and Brandon Clarke.

With hindsight, we should have considered Ty Herro, PJ Washington and/or Matisse Thybulle. And we could have gotten Eric Paschall with the 2nd rounder we sold off to GS.

(I would have likely taken Cam at #8)

Cam Reddish
Tyler Herro
Brandon Clarke
Eric Paschall
Bol Bol

would have been a huge haul for us.

[Spud2nique]

I wanted :

Cam
Culver
Clarke
Kabengele

Redo:

Cam
Hunter
Clarke
PJ Washington
Kabengele

[Spud2nique]

I guess you can add getting value for Taurean Prince (which he used in trade for Hunter) and owning up to his mistake in bringing back Dedmon to stabilize and be a voice in the locker room.

The Taurean swap was a move of pure brilliance.

I'm still salty regarding the overpay for D Hunter and the mishandling of Budenholzer's exit.

But those are minor quibbles.

I agree now. I was upset at you for wanting to trade him and considered him an 8 year Ty Corbin guy for us but he became more volume less efficient offensively and less D.

[Spud2nique]

I voted “easily an A” btw. Great job Travis! Ok maybe an A-.

[atlantabbq99]

It's an 'F'. He traded away Magic Johnson and ended up with a lottery team or the worst team in the east.

Trea or Red will need to become MVPs for Travis to save face for his idiotic and dumb mistakes. Right now Travis is deep in Billy Knight territory.

[CP War Hawks]

Schlenk has the team towards a championship path, just need some pieces to fall into place this offseason. He did have some blunders here and there.

Traded Dwight and the 31st pick for trash not worth mentioning from the Bobcats. Albeit the 2nd rd. that year was horrid, but should have stayed pat with that return. Needed to move Belli as soon as you got him.

Drafted Spellman instead of Brunson and passed on Graham twice. Either guy would have been very nice on the cheapest longterm deal available. Collins was the only saving grace that offseason, I mean if he didn't fall into our laps...

Just nitpicking as no GM is without fault. This gem was underrated and forgotten by many.

July 13, 2018: Traded Isaïa Cordinier and a 2020 2nd round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Jeremy Lin, a 2023 2nd round draft pick and a 2025 2nd round draft pick. (2019 2nd-rd pick is POR's pick, top-55 protected.) (ATL has right to swap 2023 2nd-rd pick with BRK.)

[jayu70]

Schlenk has the team towards a championship path, just need some pieces to fall into place this offseason. He did have some blunders here and there.

Traded Dwight and the 31st pick for trash not worth mentioning from the Bobcats. Albeit the 2nd rd. that year was horrid, but should have stayed pat with that return. Needed to move Belli as soon as you got him.

Drafted Spellman instead of Brunson and passed on Graham twice. Either guy would have been very nice on the cheapest longterm deal available. Collins was the only saving grace that offseason, I mean if he didn't fall into our laps...

Just nitpicking as no GM is without fault. This gem was underrated and forgotten by many.

July 13, 2018: Traded Isaïa Cordinier and a 2020 2nd round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Jeremy Lin, a 2023 2nd round draft pick and a 2025 2nd round draft pick. (2019 2nd-rd pick is POR's pick, top-55 protected.) (ATL has right to swap 2023 2nd-rd pick with BRK.)

I didn't like the Lin trade (who was severly limited with injury). I would have prefered to trade with Denver for Faried and their 2019 1st round pick and a 2nd (I don't remember all the exact details but I remember I wasn't a fan). Might have bern pick #27? last year.

[azuresou1]

I have been very vocal in my support for Travis Schlenk's moves, and more importantly his ability to properly evaluate where we are as a club and make moves consistent with that evaluation (in the big picture).

Yes, he's had some misses like not acquiring a backup PG, or having a terrible center rotation. End of the day? Those misses don't matter at all in the long term.

John Collins. Total steal.
Kevin Huerter. Total steal.
Cam Reddish - looking like a total steal
Hunter - Okay pick and we gave up a fair amount to get him but I agree with the rationale
Capela trade - Phenomenal trade

Of course everything is overshadowed by the Trae/Cam for Luka trade. Two years out - I think it's a win/win and can still end up in our favor. Luka has been phenomenal, but I've always said he would be great from Day 1. The question is whether he caps out as an All-NBA Third Team type guy, or if he can be a TRUE superstar (i.e. LeBron, Kobe, Wade, Chris Paul). Granted, the same question applies for Trae, but Cam is looking like he could be a star in and of himself.

Bottom line - we have 6 great core players to build around, and a very high draft pick. We have cap space, we have cap flexibility, and we have tons of room for internal development.

I expect that if everyone is healthy/not suspended for 'roiding up, we will easily break 45 wins next season. Keep in mind OKC jumped from 23 wins to 50 wins KD's sophomore season.

[Jamaaliver]

Travis Schlenk’s best decisions as Hawks general manager

Before the offseason officially starts for the Hawks, we’re going to look back over Schlenk’s best and most-questionable decisions as the team’s GM.

• Trading Dwight Howard to Charlotte
• Selecting John Collins and Kevin Huerter at No. 19
• Trading Dennis Schroder
• Trading Taurean Prince
• Trading Allen Crabbe for Jeff Teague
• Believing in Dewayne Dedmon and Alex Len
• Hiring Chelsea Lane away from Golden State

The Athletic

The most questionable moves Travis Schlenk has made as Hawks’ GM

• Giving Jabari Parker a player option
• Thinking Evan Turner was a viable backup point guard option
• Not going into this past season with a quality starting center
• Trading for Jeremy Lin
• Trading for Dewayne Dedmon
• Trading for Chandler Parsons
• The capital given up to acquire De’Andre Hunter
  
  Spoiler:

  This is not an indictment on Hunter as a player, but the decision to give up picks Nos. 8, 17 and 35 and Cleveland’s 2020 first-round pick (now two second-round picks) and absorb Solomon Hill’s contract for Hunter and a 2019 second-round pick that was used to acquire Bruno Fernando and a top-45 protected 2023 pick seems too rich.
  
  If the Hawks had kept their three first-round picks, so Nos. 8, 10 and 17, how would things look different for the future of this team if it grabbed Jaxson Hayes at No. 8, Cam Reddish at No. 10 and Brandon Clarke or Kevin Porter Jr. at No. 17? Or how about Reddish at No. 8, P.J. Washington at No. 10 and Goga Bitadze at No. 17? In either option, the Hawks wouldn’t have Fernando on the roster because there wouldn’t be a need to grab a center because Hayes or Bitadze would take his place.
  
  The point is, Schlenk gave up a massive haul for a player who might just end up being a solid role player, and if that’s the case, having multiple cracks at potentially finding a star is a better option.

The Athletic

[Radioblacktive1]

Take out “Trading for Jeremy Lin” and “Trading for Dewayne Dedmon” and I agree with everything else being questionable, especially the last one which leaves a more sour taste every time I think about it. Hindsight is 20/20 of course and Hunter is by no means a bad player, but I don’t think he’ll ever be worth what it took to get him or the spot he was drafted at, at least not as a Hawk which makes the pick trades hurt that much more. You take stars at #4 overall but people have settled with him just being a decent role player for the foreseeable future. A lot of times when I think of the Hawks’ future, I forget he’s on the team and I think the only thing keeping him safe from a trade is the fact that we gave up so much for him.

[jayu70]

Take out “Trading for Jeremy Lin” and “Trading for Dewayne Dedmon” and I agree with everything else being questionable, especially the last one which leaves a more sour taste every time I think about it. Hindsight is 20/20 of course and Hunter is by no means a bad player, but I don’t think he’ll ever be worth what it took to get him or the spot he was drafted at, at least not as a Hawk which makes the pick trades hurt that much more. You take stars at #4 overall but people have settled with him just being a decent role player for the foreseeable future. A lot of times when I think of the Hawks’ future, I forget he’s on the team and I think the only thing keeping him safe from a trade is the fact that we gave up so much for him.

Hated, hated the Turner trade. Didn't like the Lin trade, would have preferred taking Faried and the Denver future 1st. Don't agree with writer regarding Dedmon.

[shakes0]

In retrospect, the Hunter trade might be the worst move he made in the past few years. Way too many quality players in that draft to give up that many assets for such a low ceiling player as Hunter.

Just imagine our team with PJ Washington and Brandon Clarke instead of Hunter?

[Spud2nique]

In retrospect, the Hunter trade might be the worst move he made in the past few years. Way too many quality players in that draft to give up that many assets for such a low ceiling player as Hunter.

Just imagine our team with PJ Washington and Brandon Clarke instead of Hunter?

Clarke was my boy going into the draft but I wouldn’t sleep on Hunter. Dude was learning on each play last year. He’s gonna come with it I think.

[tbhawksfan1]

I voted A. Perfection really doesn't exist in a situation with so many variables. Hawks are in a very good place still very early in the rebuild. One more top pick and let the team mature. This team will be good in a year or three. The key to TS will be if he can turn the team into a true contender with his core or future trade/signings