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NBA Free Agency: Grading all 30 teams on trades and signings

By Josh Cornelissen

Apr 8, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) attempts a layup in front of Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) in the second quarter at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) attempts a layup in front of Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) in the second quarter at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dejounte Murray #5 of the San Antonio Spurs (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

NBA Free Agency Grades: Atlanta Hawks

Signings: Frank Kaminsky (1 year, $2.46 million), Aaron Holiday (1 year, $1.97 million)

Trades: Danilo Gallinari, three first-round picks, first-round pick swap for Dejounte Murray, Jock Landale; Jock Landale to the Suns for cash consideration; Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings for Justin Holiday, Maurice Harkless, and a first-round pick

The Atlanta Hawks made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals two seasons ago, only to fall back to earth last year and need to string together two wins in the Play-In Tournament just to make the playoffs, where they fell in a lopsided five-game series to the Miami Heat. That tough season led to reports that the Hawks were open to trading anything other than their tentpole star, Trae Young.

The Hawks put their money where their mouth was, at least for a couple of big-time moves. They traded a massive haul of draft picks for Dejounte Murray, one of the best guard defenders in the league who made his first All-Star Game last season. Murray seems like a great fit next to Trae Young, especially if Young will play more off-ball, but the cost in picks was significant and this deal didn’t suddenly vault the Hawks into contender status.

Their other big move was trading Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings for a couple of role players and a first-round pick. Holiday in particular looks like he will be in the rotation as a 3-and-D wing, but Huerter was an underrated scorer who just didn’t have the defensive chops to survive alongside Young. That deal was fine for Atlanta.

Otherwise, the Hawks made a couple of solid bargain signings on the fringes, adding a strong third point guard in Aaron Holiday (now they’re just missing Jrue for the complete set of Holiday brothers) and a decent stretch-big option in Frank Kaminsky. They still seem to be calling around on players such as John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic so there could be more to come.

For now, the cost to add Murray was too high for a move that won’t move the needle enough, and no other moves really elevated their trajectory.

Grade: C

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