The Atlanta Hawks made multiple trade splashes in the offseason, sending out a boatload of assets to pair Dejounte Murray with Trae Young while also shipping Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings to save money. The decisions haven't really worked out so far, with the Hawks stumbling to a 15-15 record. Will Atlanta look to make more big moves to fix the ongoing issues? Let's look at some early Hawks predictions ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
John Collins is a swirling name once again in trade rumors, which is nothing new for the Hawks big man. Whether he actually gets traded, though, remains to be seen. There are also some rumblings of Trae Young tension with Nate McMillan popping up amid a difficult season for the Hawks star, so that's a situation that bears monitoring if Atlanta doesn't improve.
With some of these unfortunate issues surrounding the organization, here are some early Hawks trade deadline predictions.
3. Clint Capela gets traded to unlock Onyeka Okongwu
When the pandemic struck the world, the Hawks were one of the cellar-dweller teams in the NBA, thus allowing them to receive a top-10 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. It was surprising for them to select Onyeka Okongwu because they traded for Clint Capela a couple of months before the hiatus. These two guys are tremendous modern-day centers, but they cannot play together, which forces McMillan to split their minutes.
As the veteran, Capela has been receiving the starting nod, and he has been delivering stellar minutes. Even with the struggling Hawks team, he has been a consistent presence on both ends. As a result, this is the best time to move him to a team in dire need of a center like the Charlotte Hornets or Dallas Mavericks. This is the perfect timing for Okongwu to earn his 25-30 minutes every night and reach his utmost potential in the NBA.
2. John Collins stays put again
Trade rumors have been percolating around Collins for a while now, with rumblings of some issues with Young in the past. This season, Collins' production is well down, with averages of just 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting a dismal 21.9% from 3-point range.
This feels like it's finally the time that Collins will be traded, but we have heard this before and he was not dealt. The Hawks big man is in the second year of a five-year contract worth $125 million, so he has a sizable deal to move.
While there's interest and a trade seems inevitable, Atlanta isn't going to just trade him to trade him because he is a good player, despite his decreased production this season. The prediction here is that Collins will not be traded once again.
1. Trae Young trade rumors start building up
The vibes in Atlanta seem a bit off this season. Young and McMillan have tried to downplay their tension, but it's fair to wonder what's going on there. Moreover, Young has not shown traits and characteristics that are vital for any franchise cornerstone to lead them to glory. Young is having a terrible shooting season, making just 28.8% of his 3-pointers.
Zach Lowe mentioned on his podcast a couple of organizations like the Orlando Magic or Chicago Bulls that may be interested in Young's services. Additionally, the most fun trade would be a straight-up swap involving Young and Karl Anthony-Towns. There's no reason to expect a Young trade this season, but the prediction here is that there will be more rumblings about a possible move in the future.
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