Former Hawks Reporter Sheds Light on Kevin Huerter Trade

A former Atlanta Hawks reporter for The Athletic provided insight into the Kevin Huerter trade.

The Atlanta Hawks offense has been a mess throughout the first 15 games of the NBA season. Atlanta's unhealthy shot diet has been compounded by the team's inability to hit outside shots.

Currently, Atlanta ranks 29th in three-point attempts and last in made three-pointers. The lack of floor spacing has thrown a wrench into the once-prolific offense.

Of course, everyone paying attention this past summer expected a slight decline in the team's offensive production. Over the offseason, Atlanta's front office sacrificed outside shooting for defense and playmaking (and getting under the luxury tax line).

Following a disappointing 2021-22 season, a shakeup was expected. But one trade caught Hawks fans by surprise. In July, Atlanta traded shooting guard Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings for Justin Holiday, Moe Harkless, and a future draft pick.

Kevin Huerter is enjoying the best season of his career with the Sacramento Kings / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Huerter was selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Through three seasons in Atlanta, Huerter could be relied upon for an efficient 12 points per game. His heroic 2021 Playoff performance against the Philadelphia 76ers earned him the moniker "Game 7 Kevin."

However, even Huerter was surprised to learn he was traded. The fourth-year played tweeted, "My official welcome to the NBA moment." Fans and media alike have identified the Huerter trade as a cost-cutting measure. 

Chris Kirschner of The Athletic was the Atlanta Hawks beat reporter for four years before earning a promotion to cover the New York Yankees. In a tweet yesterday, Kirschner provided some insight into the Huerter trade, saying, "The Huerter trade was an abomination but that didn’t come from the front office." 

Readers can make their own assumptions about who is responsible for the trade. What we do know is that Huerter has excelled in Sacramento, averaging a career-high 16.1 points per game and shooting 51% from three.

The Atlanta Hawks organization has made several savvy moves in recent years, but the Huerter trade was not one of them. They achieved their goal of avoiding the luxury tax, but sometimes it's more costly to be cheap.

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