3 Trade Targets Atlanta Hawks Should Avoid at All Costs

The Atlanta Hawks have often been cited as a team that could make a major trade. There are some targets they'd be better off avoiding. Perhaps that goes without saying, but the internet feels differently. If you look hard enough, you'll find the Hawks linked to any of these players: And when it comes to these three, they'd be better off looking the other way. The Kings find themselves in an odd position. They gave themselves a potential franchise player by drafting Darius Acuff Jr., but the roster is littered with ill-fitting veterans. Surely, they'd love to trade one or more of them to replenish their collection of draft capital. The Hawks don't need to help them on that front. Sabonis is a complex player. He's a walking offensive system, but a known defensive liability. He's also a non-shooter who needs the ball to be effective. He doesn't feel like a strong fit with a point forward like Jalen Johnson. It would also be hard to put him on the floor with Dyson Daniels. If any team feels they'd improve by adding Sabonis, they'd better be loaded with shooters and shot creators — not playmakers. Next up is a player the Hawks should pass on for entirely different reasons. In theory, Durant would be the perfect addition to this team. He's the best shooting 7-footer in NBA history, and playing alongside Johnson would make his life even easier. So, what's the problem? That's it — but that's enough. The Rockets will want value for Durant as long as he's an All-NBA-level player. He'd make the Hawks a scary team, but they still wouldn't be title favorites. Parting with a first-round pick just to hopefully win an extra playoff series would not be advisable. In Davis' case, the reasons to avoid him are almost a hybrid of the first two players. He's getting long in the tooth at 33. He's not too old to acquire, but given his injury history, he's an old 33. Unlike Sabonis, he's an excellent defender, but he does share Sabonis' shooting limitations. Simply put, he's just not the right player for this team. Davis and Johnson could run a competent pick-and-roll, but the Hawks would be better off with a big man who can space the floor for Johnson to attack the basket. Like Onyeka Okongwu, for example. The Hawks could make a major trade, but they don't need to be desperate. They're talented enough to win a playoff series or two as is, and they're young enough to continue growing together: So can we stop linking them to bad trade targets? Best Newest first Oldest first