While trade season in the NBA may not have really kicked into gear yet around the league, the Atlanta Hawks have been heavily involved in their fair share of rumors thus far. Just a week ago, the Hawks dealt shooting guard Kyle Korver to the Cleveland Cavaliers and that move appeared to signal more moves on the horizon.
However, a seven-game winning streak that currently has them shooting up the Eastern Conference standings put a stop to those discussions. First Atlanta informed teams that Paul Millsap was no longer available for trade and then Millsap took it a step further saying that the team informed him that he wouldn’t be dealt at all between now and the deadline.
So with just over a month between now and the deadline, we don’t have a real clear picture on whether the Hawks are buyers or sellers. If they do choose to re-enter the market, they have a few players on expiring deals that could be of interest to teams around the league. Obviously Millsap is the biggest fish here but he won’t be going anywhere likely provided Atlanta is still in the upper half of the East race.
Guys like Thabo Sefolosha and Tim Hardaway Jr are interesting could also have value but may be worth more to the Hawks than to another team. Sefolosha moved into the starting lineup early on and has been a big part of Atlanta’s defensive turnaround during this winning streak. Hardaway will likely see a bigger role following the trade of Korver and is having a career year off the bench.
The Korver trade also brought back Mike Dunleavy Jr. in return and the Hawks were at one point looking for a team to unload him to. He is another name to keep an eye on as the deadline approaches.
Right now Atlanta looks like a mystery team. Despite the Korver trade, the signals they are sending is that they are fully invested in this season and planning to ride it out. However, with so many potential free agents next summer, the Hawks could pivot quickly if they need to. No matter what, they are going to be a team to keep an eye on as the deadline approaches.