Hawks: 1 trade Atlanta needs to get Trae Young his 1st championship

The Atlanta Hawks just lost in the Eastern Conference Finals, and here's a trade they could make to help them take the next step.

After an impressive run in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the Atlanta Hawks were eliminated on Saturday night. The Milwaukee Bucks are now in the NBA Finals to face off against the Phoenix Suns, leaving the Hawks in Atlanta to begin their offseason. The Hawks have a special roster and may not shake things up too much. However, this offseason gives them a chance to improve the team for another run next year.

John Collins is set to hit free agency, but he's a restricted free agent. There's a solid chance the Hawks bring him back, as they'll have the opportunity to match anybody's offer. Lou Williams, Tony Snell, and Solomon Hill are set to be unrestricted free agents.

With that said, most of the core of this roster is under contract for next season. It's a deep team with a number of contributors, but that doesn't mean there aren't room for upgrades. Danilo Gallinari had a nice season off the bench for the Hawks, but he'll be 33 at the start of next season and has dealt with a lot of injuries in his career. He's getting paid a lot of money, so Atlanta could look to upgrade to a younger, better option.

Trade Danilo Gallinari and a 2023 first-round pick for Harrison Barnes

A trade for Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes makes too much sense for Atlanta. While Gallinari is a solid veteran player who shot over 40% from 3 in the regular season and playoffs, he has those aforementioned issues with his age and injury history. As for Barnes, he's 29 years old and has become underrated at this point. Barnes averaged 16.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists this season while shooting a stellar 49.7% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range. The Kings forward is also more versatile defender than Gallinari.

Barnes would come into Atlanta to play valuable minutes and can play both forward spots effectively. It might hurt to lose the 2023 first-round selection, but Atlanta has a full stash of picks and can afford to give one up for an upgrade that will help them win now. Getting Barnes would also be some nice insurance if Collins doesn't actually return.

The Hawks will reload and make another attempt at the NBA championship next year. There are a plethora of moves the front office could make, but trading for Harrison Barnes would be a great start. Keep an eye on the Atlanta Hawks during the offseason, as they could make some aggressive moves.