In 2021, it seemed like the Atlanta Hawks were shaping up to be one of the more consistent Eastern Conference playoff teams for years to come. Led by nascent point guard Trae Young, the Hawks had its foundational star, and with their core being as young as it is, it definitely looked like better things were still to come for a team that had just made the Eastern Conference Finals.
However, the Hawks have now suffered two straight years of being in the play-in tournament after finishing the 2020-21 season as the fifth seed. Sure, they made it out of the play-in tournament, but they then proceeded to exit the playoffs in the very first round, a severely disappointing outcome especially for a team that recently dealt away a lot of assets to pair Dejounte Murray, another All-Star guard, alongside Young.
This iteration of the Hawks could very well end up being better still. New head coach Quin Snyder will have the entire offseason to teach Trae Young and company his principles and tactics, and as Jaylen Brown said, if the Hawks sustain their first-round performance against the Boston Celtics that ended in six games, they could end up challenging for a spot in the Eastern Conference's upper echelon.
Even then, the Hawks may have to swing a trade or two to bolster the team even further. John Collins has had his moments in a Hawks uniform, but it's evident that it's for the best for him to move on after years of being on the trade block. Meanwhile, the Hawks may also have to address their defensive depth, especially given Young's shortcomings on that end of the floor.
To those ends, here are three trade targets the Hawks must set their sights towards this offseason.
Lauri Markkanen
It's important to note that the Utah Jazz have little to no justifiable reasons to trade away Lauri Markkanen, the winner of the 2022-23 NBA Most Improved Player award. Markkanen broke out in a featured role, averaging almost 26 points and nine rebounds a contest for a Jazz team that remained more competitive than many people thought coming into the season.
Markkanen does his damage from all areas of the court; his size can prove to be too difficult to handle for usual small forwards, and his nimble footwork and dribbling can be too overwhelming for some opposing big men. A walking mismatch, the Jazz have one of the best foundational offensive pieces in the NBA, so it definitely makes the most sense for them to keep The Finnisher.
However, crazier things have happened in the NBA, and if the Jazz inexplicably decide to trade Lauri Markkanen away, then the Hawks should be all over that opportunity.
The Jazz have reportedly expressed interest in trading for John Collins in the past, so perhaps a deal centered around those two could be the one that makes the most sense for either party.
Imagining a pick-and-pop partnership between Trae Young and Lauri Markkanen should make Quin Snyder drool. Markkanen will also give the Hawks such a reliably efficient three-level scoring option to relive Young of the considerable offensive burden he has shouldered for years, leading to his decreased efficiency.
Mikal Bridges
The archetype of the 3 and D wing stands out as one of the most valuable there is around the league. Sure, stars who can dominate the ball, create shots for themselves and others, and someone who can take over the game at will remain the most valuable, but it's the job of 3 and D role players to make the lives of their team's best player that much easier.
And as valuable as 3 and D wings already are, they become even more important to the fabric of a team when they too can act as secondary shot-creators and playmakers, much like Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges proved himself capable of when he arrived via trade in February.
The Hawks are crying out for a player of Bridges' caliber, someone who can take on the toughest matchup on a nightly basis, someone who rarely misses games, and someone who can take advantage of the space Trae Young and Dejounte Murray will create via the sheer defensive attention they draw. Bridges is also a huge upgrade over De'Andre Hunter, even if the current Hawks forward has showed flashes of brilliance in the past.
It's unclear if the Hawks have the necessary trade assets to get the Nets to listen to trade overtures for Mikal Bridges, but it never hurts to try.
Rudy Gobert
The reasoning as to why the Hawks should be interested in trading for Rudy Gobert was explained here, but here is the summary: the Hawks ranked 22nd in defensive rating last season, and Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu do not come close to providing the same impact Gobert does on that end of the floor. With Trae Young's defensive weaknesses, Gobert can do a whole lot to prop up one of this Hawks squad's most glaring deficiencies.
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