The Atlanta Hawks were the over-performers of the 2020-21 NBA season, having made it to the Eastern Conference Finals as the fifth seed. There's no reason to bow their heads down in defeat. At the same time, the Hawks front office should never take their foot off the gas pedal. They already did the right thing by making Nate McMillan their permanent head coach. The next step is to make some key roster tweaks that would turn them into a bigger threat in the East.
There's no official word yet regarding Lillard's availability. His supermax contract will kick off next season — a deal he signed two years ago. Since then, the team had to endure several heartbreaks in the playoffs. Fans and analysts wouldn't be surprised if the six-time All-Star suddenly wants out.
The Hawks should pounce on this golden opportunity. They will have to let go of some of their key players plus some picks. But given that they stacked their roster mainly through the draft, a trade for Lillard won't make a huge dent. The Hawks will still a solid core with Trae Young as their front and center.
Damian Lillard for Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari, 2021 First Round Pick, 2022 First Round Pick, 2023 Second Round Pick
The Hawks have no choice but to let go of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Danilo Gallinari — two players who were critical pieces to their playoff campaign. This is simply the price to pay in exchange for an elite star-like Lillard. The Trail Blazers, too, aren't just going to give him away for peanuts. They would want to remain contenders in the West. Besides, CJ McCollum would likely request for a trade if the Blazers suddenly press the reset button by trading Lillard for nothing.
The Hawks will miss the elite scoring ability of both Bogdanovic and Gallinari. Bogdanovic was considered one of the key pick-ups of the team last offseason. The Serbian, who's slowly turning into one of the deadliest shooters around, meshed perfectly with Trae Young's playstyle. Gallinari, meanwhile, did not just offer great offense, but also some much-needed veteran presence. Given what the two brought to the table, it would be understandable to conclude that the Hawks might be giving up too much.
However, what Bogdanovic and Gallinari can do, Lillard can do a whole lot better. Lillard's offensive game is one of the most polished in the league. There's no use in elaborating much on it. The sun is hot, the sky is blue, and Damian Lillard can drop 50 on you anytime he wants. Apart from this, Lillard has tons of significant playoff experience in his belt. And we're talking about tense Game 7s, game-winners, and all that good stuff. We all know how important a veteran is in a contending team.
Perhaps the only concern is how Lillard will mesh well with Trae Young. It's pretty evident that the 22-year-old is the front and center of Nate McMillan's offense. Young quickly developed into a formidable guard — someone who can create for himself and set up his teammates as well. It was amazing to see Young dissect defenses with ease as if he's been in the league for 10 seasons. Can Young continue his development with Lillard — a player who also needs the ball in his hands to be effective — in the fold?
Let's not quickly forget that Lillard played alongside CJ McCollum. While he does not share a similar playstyle with Young, McCollum still needed the ball in his hands to be effective as well. As such, Lillard will have no problem if 80 percent of McMillan's playbook consists of Young pick-and-rolls. He may even give Young some useful tips. Lillard has also seen all sorts of defenses thrown at him. It's time to pass on his learnings to the younger generation. In addition, while we're all familiar with Lillard's logo 3-pointers and tough lay-up shots, he's also comfortable in catch-and-shoot situations.
Besides, at this point in his career, Lillard would want to get his hands on that Larry O'Brien trophy. He has dissed the likes of Paul George for switching teams for in service of that title chase. Yet deep down inside of him, Lillard wants to win at least one before calling it quits. The Hawks are among the few teams who are literally a few inches away from a title ring.
From a broader perspective, the league seems to have evened out. Yes, there are teams who have a good amount of future Hall-of-Famers in their squad. But from the looks of it, other teams (especially the smaller market ones), have learned how to cope and beat these so-called superteams. The Hawks have a legitimate shot at winning the title in the next few seasons. That's only if they pull the trigger and acquire Lillard.
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