A massive trade proposal has the Atlanta Hawks landing an eight-time All-Star that would make them an immediate contender in the Eastern Conference.
The Hawks surprised the NBA in 2021 when they made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in six games. Despite the all-world play of Trae Young, Atlanta has failed to build off that surprising run, having been eliminated in the opening round of the postseason in back-to-back years.
At NBA Analysis Network, James Piercey proposed a blockbuster trade that has the Hawks landing future Hall of Famer Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for De’Andre Hunter, A.J. Griffin, Onyeka Okongwu, Bogdan Bogdanović and 2024 and 2029 first-round picks:
“Some have suggested that acquiring Dejounte Murray was a mistake. The Hawks landed him for his elite defense. Murray’s ability to guard the point of attack was supposed to make up for Trae Young’s shortcomings on that end. Unfortunately, his fit on the offensive end alongside Young has been questionable.
George could mitigate those issues. As an elite shooter, he’ll be a good fit with both young playmakers. Moreover, George is an outstanding defender as well. He’d also give the Hawks another shot creator. There’s no question that George is a good fit here and would improve the Hawks.”
Many have called for the Clippers to shake up their roster after yet another early postseason elimination, but it looks like they’re content to give it another go with their two ageing and injury-prone stars in George and Kawhi Leonard.
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Piercey’s proposal here certainly makes sense for both clubs. The Hawks would have another All-Star to complement their franchise player in Young, while the Clippers would bolster their depth with younger scorers.
The Clippers seem happy to keep the George-Leonard duo intact for now, but perhaps the front office will change its mind if the right offer comes along. And the Hawks certainly make sense as a potential landing spot for the future Hall of Famer if the Clippers make him available.
