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According to recent reports, the Atlanta Hawks are interested in acquiring either CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers or Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics. Both of these players would make sense for the Hawks, as they desperately need another guard who can defend at a high level, which Marcus Smart can do, and they could potentially bring back a guy like CJ McCollum, who has proven to be one of the best guards in the NBA and can score 20 points per night next to Trae Young.
Let's take a look at three deals that the Atlanta Hawks may take advantage of if they decide to pursue CJ McCollum. Unfortunately for Atlanta, completing this transaction without trading John Collins is unlikely.
While all of these trades could be tough, some contending teams are going to overpay and due to the players’ salary, they will have to give back a big package. Not all of these trades are likely, but contending teams are going to be doing everything they can to get better, which could cause some wild trades to be done, as we have seen in the past. Teams in a rebuild type of situation will also attempt to move some key players, and at times, for less than what they are worth.
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Atlanta Hawks Trades For CJ McCollum
Hawks get: CJ McCollum
Blazers get: John Collins, Delon Wright
Unfortunately for the Hawks, they would be unable to reach an agreement with the Blazers for CJ McCollum unless John Collins was included. This isn't necessarily the worst thing for the Hawks because there have been several reports that Collins is dissatisfied with his current situation, which might mean he gets traded before Thursday's deadline.
The Hawks don't really need another offensive guard like CJ McCollum, but there's no denying that they'd be a much stronger team if they could pair him next to Trae Young. There would still be some concerns about this team's defensive side of the ball at that guard position, but there are always other choices for them to bring back in another deal. They sorely need a defender at the guard position.
Giving up Delon Wright might not be something the Hawks want to do, but the fact is that if you can get an All-Star level player in CJ for only both of these guys, it's something they'll have to consider.
Hawks get: CJ McCollum
Blazers get: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Delon Wright, 2022 first-round pick
This isn't likely to be accepted by the Blazers, but it is the most team-friendly option for the Hawks in terms of what they can give up. This is something they'll have to consider if they can avoid getting rid of John Collins in this arrangement. It's understandable that the Blazers would want to receive John Collins back in this deal, but they'd also get a first-round selection in 2022, which is something that most rebuilding clubs will be seeking for.
Bogdan Bogdanovic has also shown that he can be one of the top 3-point shooters in the NBA, and he could not only help the Blazers speed up their rebuilding process, but he could also be someone they trade in the future for additional draft picks to help them speed up their rebuilding process even more.
It's difficult to believe the Blazers would accept this trade, but stranger things have happened, and if the Hawks can keep John Collins and get CJ McCollum, they'll be one of the Eastern Conference favorites.
Hawks get: CJ McCollum, Tony Snell
Blazers get: John Collins, Lou Williams, Delon Wright
This is a unique trade for the Hawks, and one that the Blazers may not want to accept. Because Lou Williams is older in his career, Atlanta would almost certainly have to give up a draft pick or two. He isn't exactly someone that a rebuilding club would want to get back in a trade for their second-best player.
There have been several speculations that the Hawks are interested in trading John Collins, and if they can get a guard who can play at a high level to pair alongside Trae Young, this is something Atlanta should consider. They'd be giving up some size in this transaction, which is why bringing in a player like Tony Snell, who isn't the best player ever, may be beneficial to this Hawks squad. Tony Snell isn't going to blow anybody away, but he can still defend at an above-average level and hit down the three-point shot at a high level.
