Atlanta Hawks: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason

Trading two expiring contracts for one

In order to make room on the roster for some rookies, the Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies swapped some expiring contracts, giving Atlanta Chandler Parsons and taking back Miles Plumlee and Solomon Hill.

Plumlee was set to make $12.5 million next year while Hill was sent to make $12.7 million. That was the perfect way to offset the Parsons salary ($25.1 million) for the Grizzlies, but the Hawks may have gotten the better end of the deal.

Plumlee had left knee issues last year and had multiple procedures done as well, limiting him to 18 games in 2018-19. Hill only appeared in a handful of games as well, putting up a lackluster line of 4.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game over the course of 44 games.

That’s not saying that Parsons was much better, as he played in only 25 games. Yet he still managed to post 7.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, re-joining the Grizzlies after the All-Star break.

After some very good years in Houston and Dallas, the injury bug hit Parsons, limiting him to just 95 games in three seasons with Memphis. But if the Hawks can get even 75 percent of Parsons pre-injury, that helps the team’s depth out a lot.

Parsons was averaging over 14 points per game in Houston and Dallas, hitting 37 percent of his 3-pointers for the Rockets and a whopping 39.5 for the Mavericks.

Parsons should be able to provide backup to any wing spots for the Hawks and even as a 32 or 33 percent shooter from downtown, having the threat of a healthy Parsons could really boost the team’s second unit.

However, if Parsons doesn’t pan out as a backup, he could provide some needed insight for the Huerter, Bembry, Hunter and Reddish as they all continue to find their way in the NBA. He would be an expensive mentor, but that $25.1 million won’t even be there next offseason.

Grade: C+