Currently sitting at the 12th spot out East, the Atlanta Hawks have taken a bit of a free-fall after last year's surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Granted they're only two games out of the eighth spot, but if they can gain some momentum and get a winning streak going to get them back into the playoff picture, then the Hawks will be in business again.

It will take a ton of discipline and consistency on their end, but with the star power this team possesses, this is definitely a manageable task. As they aim to right the ship and get back on the winning track, it goes without saying that some changes are needed for Atlanta.

Without further ado, let's now discuss the biggest need the Hawks must address ahead of the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline.

A productive backup point guard

It goes without saying that Trae Young is one of the best point guards in the league, and Lou Williams has been a solid sixth man for the entirety of his career. However, the Hawks don't possess a ton of depth outside Young and Williams at the point guard spot. Bogdan Bogdanovic contributes to this some, but he's much more effective as a shooting guard or small forward.

Plus with this likely to be Williams' last season in the NBA, it would be most wise for the Hawks to start searching for a young and high production back-up at point guard. One name that comes to mind who's also been mentioned in trade rumors as of late is Jalen Brunson. Currently playing the best basketball of his career and having a major impact on the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson's skills and experience would be vital for Atlanta and provide Young with a ton of relief on offense.

Brunson's playmaking, scoring, and ball-handling have made him a quality floor general in the NBA, and on the Hawks, he'd be the perfect second-string facilitator. He'd vastly improve their ball movement and amplify their backcourt depth while giving them another player capable of knocking down big shots and making clutch plays when Trae starts to see more double teams in late-game situations.

His poise and efficiency are what's made him so successful during his tenure with the Mavs, and as the playoffs fast approach, the Hawks could definitely use a boost at the position that'd give some much-needed relief to Young and Williams. They've been wildly inconsistent this season and if they want to turn things around, then getting an additional boost to their backcourt rotation will be vital if they're hoping for better results and looking to make another deep playoff run in 2022.

The NBA Trade Deadline is right around the corner and if the Hawks want to come away with a successful go of it, then making this move will definitely pay dividends for them in the second half of the 2021-22 NBA season. If there's a player out there that they should pursue at the deadline, then it's without question Jalen Brunson.