Hawks may have to go (kind of) all-in this NBA trade deadline

As an organization, you build for a championship. Then, at some point, you arrive at your summit and contend. This point in time is unknown and you may find you have suddenly arrived and have to switch from a build to a go-for-it state of mind, given that the championship window for any roster varies and the circumstances of the league also varies.

The Atlanta Hawks may have arrived at this point in time. Consider that the team is #1 in an Eastern Conference that features a team with the best player in the league just coming together (Cavs), injuries to key personnel keeping the talent level from fully realizing its maximum production (Bulls) and other teams in transition.

Also, the team faces an uncertain future of it's own, given the For Sale sign in front of the franchise and the potential for a front office change that's usually associated with that.

So with a #1 Hawks team at this time, and one that has strongly competed with the best of the West already this season, the Hawks front office faces a reality that this may be THE time to go for a championship.

After all, why hang onto to a #1 pick in a future year if you might not be the group that gets to use it?

So if it takes a future #1 to get a wing like Arron Afflalo that could help ease the relative pain of the loss of Thabo Sefolosha, then why would Wilcox and Bud be faulted for taking the plunge?

Sure, if they were humming right along with solid ownership and no threat of change, they likely wouldn't over-react or push even some of their chips in, but given the confluence of events you couldn't blame the Hawks decision makers if they went for it this season to some degree.

Consider this as well: The Hawks could make a move for Afflalo, Wilson Chandler or a player of that ilk and still be cap-friendly, so it's not like if the Hawks make a deal of this caliber that they'll be paying the price for going for it for years to come. In fact, they'll still be flexible enough to make moves this offseason, even if everything stays the same.

This is an all-time season for the Atlanta Hawks and it may be the best window of opportunity to make a run for a title. It's something to think about as the trade deadline nears.