The shortage of an actual long-term reply at their heart place goes to be an issue for the Atlanta Hawks. Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu have been strong, however neither has definitively claimed the standing of long-term reply for Atlanta. Capela has gotten extra begins whereas Okongwu is taking part in good minutes in a reserve function. Though Capela’s contract expires on the finish of the season, the Hawks can’t be fully assured in Okongwu’s means to develop into the undisputed starter within the 2025-26 season.
In the meanwhile, the Hawks are solidly in the course of the Japanese Convention. They’re at present seventh with a 7-10 file. Whereas Atlanta has handled quite a few accidents for a lot of the season, it can’t be ignored that the protection remains to be largely missing outdoors of Dyson Daniels. He is a professional DPOY contender and virtually a lock for an All-Protection staff if he stays wholesome, however the staff nonetheless struggles with deep shooters. They quit essentially the most three-pointers per recreation and the very best three-point proportion per recreation in the whole NBA. By Clear the glass, they’re thirtieth in proportion of discipline objectives truly conceded. Paradoxically, they are not an awesome three-point taking pictures staff both. Atlanta is twenty second in three-point proportion and twentieth in makes an attempt.
A part of the answer to those issues may come from the Memphis Grizzlies. Though the Grizzlies are at present seventh within the Western Convention with a 10-7 file, they may use extra taking pictures with out taking long-term cash or pushing all of their first-round picks. As well as, there may be additionally hypothesis that the Grizzlies could transfer on from taking pictures guard Marcus Good, who gained the 2022 Defensive Participant of the 12 months award. Good’s integration into Memphis has not been as easy that they imagined it and he could not get on the sphere with Ja Morant. Within the seven video games he has performed this season, he’s averaging 7.4 factors and three.7 assists per recreation whereas taking pictures 30.0 % from the sphere and 21.4 % from three factors.
Now the Hawks not want Good. Dyson Daniels has been a improbable defender for them and his shot is extraordinarily beneficial. Nonetheless, one other member of the Grizzlies may fill a necessity. Large man Santi Aldama, who can play each energy ahead and heart, has had a powerful begin to the yr for Memphis. At present, he’s averaging 12.7 factors, 7.2 rebounds and three.5 assists with taking pictures instances of 47.3/28.8/85%. Aldama is in a little bit of a taking pictures droop from deep, however he has shot over 34% from deep with respectable quantity over the past two seasons. Moreover, his free throw taking pictures took a leap from final yr and it may be affordable to anticipate a constructive regression in taking pictures for Aldama. Even with out his shot falling in addition to it might be, he’s a really efficient defender and rim protector who persistently stays on prime of his defensive rotations. He’s additionally a very good passer who exhibits indicators of advanced passing means.
Even when the Hawks aren’t excited by Good, the Milwaukee Bucks may be. They’ve wanted higher ball dealing with and perimeter protection all season. A wholesome model of Good may simply be this participant and suits properly on protection alongside Giannis and Brook Lopez. He can even play alongside Damian Lillard and fill a few of Lillard’s gaps on protection.
What would a commerce that sends Good to Milwaukee and Aldama to Atlanta seem like?
It ought to be famous that that is only a speculative and enjoyable train to see what sort of strikes might be made, and never what I feel the Hawks ought to or will make. That is all.
Here is the enterprise.
Atlanta Hawks get: Santi Aldama, Pat Connaughton
Memphis Grizzlies get: Larry Nance Jr, Bobby Portis, MarJon Beauchamp, 2025 1st spherical choose (from Sacramento, by way of Atlanta, prime 12 protected), 2031 2nd spherical choose (from Milwaukee, by way of Milwaukee)
Milwaukee Bucks get: Marcus Good
Why the Hawks would make this deal: They’re transferring a choose that they don’t management and a contract that’s coming to Nance for a participant who might be their beginning heart of the longer term. Though Aldama is only a energy ahead, he nonetheless provides tons of helpful measurement and protection whereas with the ability to play alongside Jalen Johnson along with his taking pictures. Surrounding Trae Younger with Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Santi Aldama and Onyeka Okongwu merely supplies unbelievable measurement that almost all groups cannot deal with. That is to say nothing of the truth that Zaccharie Risacher and Bogdan Bogdanovic be a part of extra offensive formations. At his finest, Connaughton can be a very good bench shooter who can present an offensive spark.
Why the Hawks would not make this deal: Giving up a first-round choose for Aldama and having to right away re-sign him to a contract is definitely a threat. Plus, Connaughton is just about out of the Bucks’ rotation and he has an costly contract.
Why the Grizzlies would make this deal: Nance is an effective backup heart who supplies photographs that the Grizzlies may desperately use. Portis has shot above 37% from deep over the previous two seasons and is a dependable post-up choice for Morant to work with. In addition they get a first-rounder from the Hawks with an inexpensive probability of passing. Memphis has additionally at all times discovered good worth within the draft, so draft picks are definitely of nice worth to the staff.
Why the Grizzlies would not make this deal: Nance is a fairly good shooter, however he alone will not be sufficient to extend the taking pictures numbers for Memphis. Portis is within the midst of a taking pictures droop (32% from deep by 16 video games in 2024-25) and his post-ups have been fairly ineffective all yr.
Why the Bucks would make this deal: Good is an effective ball handler who competes for rebounds, supplies secondary offense and suits as a strong piece in a reasonably shifty Bucks protection. He has tons of playoff expertise and would give a shallow Bucks staff some professional depth.
Why the Bucks would not make this deal: He has struggled to remain wholesome and would not seem like the identical participant when wholesome. Moreover, he was by no means an excellent shooter from deep in the course of the common season. He successfully goes from a profession 32-33% shooter from deep to a 35-37% shooter within the playoffs, however there may be threat in including him to a Bucks staff that has been strong from deep ( fifteenth in makes an attempt, tenth). in proportion).
