Hello Hoop Heads! Here's the latest in NBA trade rumors
NBA Trade Rumors: An Atlanta Hawks fire sale?
The Atlanta Hawks find themselves six games below .500 and 10th in the Eastern Conference despite having All-Stars Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. With Atlanta underperforming and little means to improve, they are reportedly considering tanking, according to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer.
Atlanta Hawks tanking the season?
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BasketballOnX) January 6, 2024
"Right now it sounds like the Hawks are truly considering the idea of being a real seller. Taking a step back and maybe even getting a couple extra lottery balls this year..."
[via @JakeLFischer ] pic.twitter.com/atzsvA2WqJ
While Young and Jalen Johnson are expected to be off limits in trade talks, everyone else on the roster is fair game, and teams could potentially poach talented players such as Murray, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Clint Capella from the Hawks.
Atlanta's plan is to bottom out this year and secure a top-10 pick while they can, according to Fischer. The reason for doing so is the disastrous Murray trade that they made with the San Antonio Spurs in the summer of 2021, in which they sent three first-round picks and a pick swap to the Spurs.
As a result, they will be giving up both their 2025 and 2027 first-round picks, no matter where they land, as well as potentially being required to swap picks with the Spurs in 2026. That could prove costly if Atlanta isn't better next season and Young eventually demands to be traded.
With few other options, tearing down the roster and trading their best players for as many assets as possible seems to be a reasonable strategy, all things considered.