The Atlanta Hawks took a step back this 2021-22 season after making the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago. Atlanta was eliminated in five games by the Miami Heat in the first round. It certainly isn't an ideal trajectory for a team that came within two wins of making the NBA Finals just a year ago. With that, the Hawks are reportedly looking to make some huge moves this upcoming summer.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Atlanta reportedly has some names on its radar. One of them includes free agent star Zach LaVine. The addition of LaVine would give the Hawks a dynamic offensive backcourt. But even if he and Trae Young would make for an explosive scoring tandem, there is good reason for Atlanta to stay away from that idea. Here are two reasons why the Hawks must not go after Zach LaVine in 2022 NBA free agency.
2 reasons Hawks must not go after Zach LaVine
1. He is going to be more of a luxury than a need
Trae Young is one of the best playmakers in the NBA. He's also established himself as one of the deadliest snipers from beyond the arc. Young finished the 2021-22 regular season with the most total points and the most total assists in the NBA. In 76 games, Ice Trae tallied 2,155 points and 737 assists.
Young became just the second player in NBA history to lead the league in those two categories for an entire campaign. Tiny Archibald first achieved the feat in the 1972-73 season.
With a dynamic offensive force like Young leading the way, the Hawks finished with the no. 2 offensive rating in the NBA. They also finished sixth in points per game (113.9), 7th in field goal percentage (47.0%), and 2nd in three-point percentage (37.4%).
With Atlanta proving to be one of the top offensive teams in the NBA, the Hawks won't exactly need LaVine's offensive gifts. Sure, LaVine gives Young another elite scorer and shot creator in the backcourt. But with the way they played offensively in the 2021-22 regular season, the high-flying shooting guard won't exactly move the needle that much for the Hawks.
2. LaVine won't help address Atlanta's weaknesses
On the flip side, LaVine's arrival won't exactly help address Atlanta's woes on the other side of the floor. As elite as they were offensively, they were one of the worst defensive teams in the league. They finished with the 5th worst defensive rating in the NBA in the 2021-22 season, regressing from finishing 18th in that category the season before.
And it's not as if signing LaVine will come for free. Though he recently underwent knee surgery, the 2-time All-Star will still command a fat contract this upcoming summer. The Hawks will not have outright cap space to sign him. As such, they will need to give up some pieces to bring him in through a sign-and-trade deal.
You'd have to think Chicago will ask for someone like DeAndre Hunter in a potential deal for LaVine. With Hunter being Atlanta's best perimeter defender, the Hawks would only get much worse on that end of the floor, even if it means bringing in a talented offensive star like LaVine.
As much as the backcourt of LaVine and Young can light up the scoreboard, they'll only give those same points up on the other end. With that said, will it be worth it for Atlanta to pair those two in the backcourt?
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