Latest Trade Proposal Has Hawks and Pelicans Swapping Trae Young and Brandon Ingram in Monster Trade Package

Jackson Caudell | May 4, 2024

Oct 7, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) and Atlanta Hawks / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

There are a number of teams in the NBA who are going to have a busy offseason. This is shaping up to be a summer where there is the possibility for a lot of change and two of the teams that might be changing are the Hawks and the Pelicans.

Atlanta tried making a big move two years ago by trading for Dejounte Murray, but it has not gone the way that they had hoped. The record when both guards play together is poor, as are the Hawks overall numbers. It seems likely that the two guards are going to be split up, but just which one is traded still seems to be a debate.

The Pelicans on the other hand have a very interesting roster, but that is the best thing you can say about them. They have not been able to all stay healthy for a postseason run and after being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder, there could be some changes coming to New Orleans to remake their roster around Zion Williamson. Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum are two players who could be moved.

I have written this offseason that New Orleans and Atlanta are natural trade partners. The Pelicans need a point guard and the Hawks need defensive minded wing players with size and athleticism. They could both help each other and there is a deal to be had there. New Orleans had reported interest in Hawks guard Dejounte Murray leading up to the trade deadline.

What about a Trae Young and Brandon Ingram swap though?

That is what Bleacher Report's Dan Favale suggested in his blockbuster trade proposal:

The Trade

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Dyson Daniels, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr., 2025 first-round pick (most favorable from New Orleans or the Lakers)*, 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick (top-four protection; most favorable from Milwaukee or New Orleans), 2030 second-round pick

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Onyeka Okongwu, Trae Young

(*This assumes the Pelicans defer the Lakers' 2024 first-rounder to 2025.)

Why the Hawks Do It

"It seems inevitable that the Hawks will break up the Young-Dejounte Murray backcourt this offseason. Atlanta was outscored by over six points per 100 possessions this season when they shared the floor, and it doesn't have the assets to meaningfully fill its biggest roster voids (wings, defense) while keeping both.

Conventional wisdom suggests the Hawks should move Murray. Despite all of his flaws, Young is the more dominant player. But Atlanta could be overly worried about assembling a top-notch-ish defense around him, both sides could be ready for a change and/or the front office may recognize the 25-year-old with an All-NBA selection under his belt will garner a heftier return.

This package would even out the rotation while restocking the Hawks' draft stash during their leaner seasons. (San Antonio controls Atlanta's next three first-rounders after this year.) Ingram is an imperfect player speeding toward a new contract, but he's less ball-dominant than Young and brings enough secondary creation that he could help float the offense in tandem with Murray.

Daniels' offense is rickety, but he's already a smothering defender and high-IQ passer. His two more years of cost-controlled service would also go a long way for a franchise that figures to indefinitely stay beneath the tax. Giving up Okongwu would sting, but he isn't exactly a billboard for durability. The Hawks would still have Clint Capela, and they could approximate most of their intriguing frontcourt combos by subbing in Nance."

Why the Pelicans Do It

"Executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin sounds like someone who's ready to shake up the Pelicans following their Zion Williamson-less first-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City "Thunder. That's a good thing.

He doesn't necessarily sound like someone who thinks New Orleans must prioritize a floor general over everything else. That's...not so good.

Point Zion is a revelation. But the Pelicans need an organizer who can sustain the show in the (likely) event that he misses extensive time or isn't available for postseason games. Young is #ThatDude. And he would assuredly nudge up New Orleans' overall three-point volume.

Whether he's the cleanest fit beside Zion is debatable. He still needs more experience playing off the ball. But the Pelicans could and should spam Zion-Trae pick-and-rolls. Keeping Trey Murphy and CJ McCollum would ensure that they'll have the surrounding spacing to capitalize on those actions.

Insulating Young on defense shouldn't be much of a problem. New Orleans wouldn't be surrendering Murphy, Jose Alvarado or Herb Jones, and it would still have the ability to re-sign Naji Marshall. Zion playing career-best defense for half of this season looms large here, too.

Jettisoning Ingram, Daniels and so many firsts might come off as a tall order at first glance. But getting Okongwu would make it far more palatable. Though he's not traditionally huge, he'd be a rim-protection and switchability upgrade over Nance and Jonas Valančiūnas and brings more offensive dynamism than advertised.

Okongwu has dabbled in corner threes, has traces of a floor game, and can score and facilitate out of pick-and-rolls. His arrival coupled with Young's playmaking and from-scratch scoring would pave the Pelicans a smoother road toward title contention."

This is not a bad deal for both sides, but I think the preference for the Hawks would be to trade Murray. While I don't think they could get this much back for him, Young is the better player and Ingram would be a nice fit alongside him. The draft capital they would get back from New Orleans would be nice as well.

We will have to see what both teams intend to do this summer, but both Atlanta and New Orleans could look to reshape their rosters. They also make natural trade partners as well.