NBA Trades: Hawks and Pelicans swap stars in a tantalizing proposed offseason deal
By Cal Durrett
![Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2990,h_1681,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/307/01hws3e1qeex8y1atw18.jpg)
Hawks-Pelican deal
NBA Trades: Pelicans and Hawks swap stars in a tantalizing proposed offseason deal
Swapping Ingram for Young and Capela for McCollum would make for a fascinating deal for both teams. The Hawks would avoid a full teardown by pairing Ingram and McCollum with Dejounte Murray, Jalen Johnson, and Oneya Okongkwu. Whether that would make them better than a fringe playoff team is unclear, but without control of their first-round picks over the next three years, this might be a worthwhile gamble.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans will need to make some roster moves to maximize their potential. Moving Ingram and McCollum would allow them to start both Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III next to Zion Williamson, along with adding Young and Capela at point guard and center.
Of course, there are pros and cons for both teams, with a lot at stake for each franchise. The Hawks aren't good enough as currently constructed but they don't have the picks needed to rebuild through the draft and aren't enough of a destination to attract top free agents.
On the other hand, the Pelicans have plenty of talent but their roster isn't perfectly constructed and their best player, Zion, has battled injuries and presents unique challenges to build around. Next, we'll take a look and see whether the Hawks and the Pelicans would actually agree to the proposed deal, starting with the Pelicans.