New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Cam Johnson to Memphis, Hawks Get Claxton As Center of Future

With the recent trade of Dorian Finney-Smith to LA, could the Hawks be the next destination for one of Brooklyn's most talented players?

Oct 23, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) commits a flagrant two foul resulting in ejection on Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

With the recent trade of Dorian Finney-Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks, the trade market is offically beginning to take shape for the 2024-25 trade deadline. Brooklyn should continue to be a central part of it - and the Atlanta Hawks might be interested in doing business.

It is obvious that the Nets are offloading their veterans in an attempt to add significant, cost-controlled talent in the 2025 draft. The question is whether they can find deals that they like for those veterans. In particular, Cam Johnson has been frequently discussed as a ideal trade candidate for many teams. The combination of his skillset as a 3&D wing with some passing and his affordable contract (cap hits in between $20-22 million for the next three years) is going to be hard to pass up for any teams that need an upgrade in their wing rotation.

The Memphis Grizzlies seem to be one of those teams. There were rumors about their interest in Finney-Smith before he was traded. NBA insider Marc Stein had this to say about those discussions:

"Regarding Memphis' pursuit of Brooklyn's Dorian Finney-Smith: League sources say there are active discussions between the teams on the trade scenario in the story: John Konchar and Luke Kennard to the Nets for DFS."

In an NBA that is constantly focused on acquiring 3&D wings, the Hawks already have two good ones. Jalen Johnson is a budding star who can handle, shoot and pass at the power foward spot while DeAndre Hunter has been one of the best sixth men in the NBA this year. However, they do have an unresolved question at the center position. Clint Capela has been fine, but he's on an expiring contract and Onyeka Okongwu has not shown he can be the long-term answer despite signing a four-year contract.

Nets center Nic Claxton might be an answer to that problem. Now, it should be noted that Claxton doesn't exactly have a great history with the Hawks after getting ejected against Atlanta for a dirty foul earlier this season. Still, he is a very good fit with Atlanta's lineup. He's a seven-footer who plays great defense and works well as a rim finisher and in the pick-and-roll. However, he's having a down season and just signed a four-year, $100 million dollar contract. If the Nets get a reasonable offer, they should certainly consider trading him.

Given all of these factors, could a three-team trade between the Hawks, Grizzlies and Nets make sense? Here is what a possible deal might look like.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks get: Nic Claxton, John Konchar, Trendon Watford, 2026 2nd round pick (via LAC, from Memphis), 2031 2nd rounder (via Memphis)

Brooklyn Nets get: Marcus Smart, Onyeka Okongwu, Luke Kennard, Cody Zeller, Kobe Bufkin, 2027 1st round pick (least favorable of New Orleans/Milwaukee, from Atlanta), 2026 1st round pick (via Memphis, top-5 protected), 2030 1st-round pick (via Memphis, top-10 protected)

Memphis Grizzlies get: Cam Johnson, Larry Nance Jr.

Why the Hawks would do this trade: Claxton's fit on Atlanta is extremely sound. His abilities as a versatile defensive anchor fall perfectly in line with the defensive identity the Hawks are forging. His offensive game complements Young and Johnson's and he's secured on a reasonable contract that runs through his age-25 through his age-29 seasons. Konchar is a solid shooter who plays good defense and gets rebounds as a backup guard while Watford is a really intriguing flier. He's a 6'8 wing who can hit open threes and rebounds well. He needs to develop more as a defender, but there are clear tools to work with.

Why the Hawks would not do this trade: Claxton is currently having a down season on both ends of the floor. Furthermore, neither Konchar or Watford are massive needle movers and there's a strong chance both fall out of Atlanta's rotation entirely.

Why the Nets would do this trade: They pick up contracts that will expire within the next two seasons and add some veteran presence that won't significantly raise the team's floor. Okongwu and Bufkin are possible future pieces for the Nets' rotation and they recoup three first-round picks in the deal.

Why the Nets would not do this trade: Bufkin and Okongwu are the only players who could conceivably be part of Brooklyn's future core and their upside seems to be somewhat limited at this point.

Why the Grizzlies would do this trade: If DFS was a helpful add, Johnson would be an incredible addition to the Grizzlies' lineup. He shoots 42.9% from deep on a staggering 7.5 attempts and would provide spacing for a team that currently has the 13th-best percentage from deep in the NBA. Adding him gives them a formidable combination of size and skill that few in the Western Conference can match. Furthermore, Nance is a reliable veteran who can back up Zach Edey or Jay Huff and won't be run off a playoff court due to his abilities as a rebounder and shooter.

Why the Grizzlies would not do this trade: They're giving up significant pick equity in this deal for a player who has essentially reached his upside. Furthermore, it's likely that his usage will take a bit of a decrease in Memphis, which could see a decline in his numbers as he adjusts to a new team context.

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