The Atlanta Hawks are having a disappointing season and they are clearly in need of making upgrades. One of the main positions of need has been the starting center role. Simply put, Damian Jones and Alex Len are not cutting it.
A few names have been recently circulating as potential trade targets for the Hawks. They have been linked to Steven Adams and Dewayne Dedmon by Shams Charania of The Athletic. However, the biggest development of all came from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski reported that the Hawks and Detroit Pistons recently engaged in talks centered on an Andre Drummond trade.
The details about what the Hawks have discussed giving up in a potential Drummond trade include a package centered around the Brooklyn Nets' 2020 first-round pick along with expiring contracts, according to Wojnarowski. However, there would need to be other assets going from Atlanta to Detroit in a potential deal, too.
The Hawks have discussed sending a package that includes a 2020 first-round pick via the Brooklyn Nets and the salary-cap relief of expiring contracts for Detroit, league sources said. A potential deal would include other assets.
Hawks Can Dangle Expiring Contracts and Draft Picks
There are a few important components to take into consideration when evaluating a potential Drummond trade from the Hawks' perspective. Atlanta has a variety of expiring contracts such as Chandler Parsons ($25M), Evan Turner ($18.6M), Allen Crabbe ($18.5M), and Len ($4.2M) that can be used to more easily facilitate a financially legal trade. They also have all of their own first-round picks along with the 2022 Oklahoma City Thunder first-round pick.
From a basic stats perspective, it has been a productive season for Drummond. The veteran center is averaging 17.6 points (career-high), 15.8 rebounds (league-most), 2.7 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.8 blocks. However, his output of 0.908 points per possession on scoring plays ranks 59th in the league among the 63 players with at least 500 possessions. Furthermore, he's also not an overly impactful defender.
If the Hawks are determined to get a deal done to acquire Drummond, the most they should be willing to offer is Parsons for salary purposes along with the Thunder and Nets first-round picks. However, the possibility is there that he could opt out of his $28.8M player option in the summer. That would mean he could depart in free agency, which makes it difficult to justify risking significant compensation.
It would require a lot for the Hawks to turn their season around enough to land in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They are currently at the bottom of the standings with a 7-27 record. They are even trailing the New York Knicks by three games.
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