New Blockbuster Trade Proposal Sends Hawks Center to OKC, Players and Draft Pick to Atlanta

Would the Hawks and Thuner make a trade due to the injuries to Oklahoma City?

Nov 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) work for the rebound in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder have looked like one of the best teams in the NBA to start the season, but they are at an interesting crossroads already. Before the season even started, recently signed center Isaiah Hartenstein was injured and out for an extended period of time. Last night in a loss to the Golden State Warriors, one of the Thunder's best young players Chet Holmgren had a scary injury last night and will be out for 8-10 weeks. If he is out 10 weeks, that would mean a late January return for Holmgren. The Thunder are a great team, but they are without their top two big men. Will they wait until Hartenstein returns and just roll with what they have or could they look to the trade market to try and fill the void?

Thunder: Chet Holmgren suffered a right iliac hip fracture and a return to play protocol will be provided in 8 to 10 weeks. pic.twitter.com/ijma0D5zy5

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 11, 2024

If they do look to the trade market, there is one team that has a surplus of centers and that is the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks have Clint Capela, Onyeka Okongwu, and Larry Nance on the roster and while Nance can play the four, the Hawks have had him play center this year and he has been used mostly when Okongwu has missed games. Both Capela and Nance are on expiring deals (Nance is owed 11.2 Million this year and Capela is owed 22.3 Million this year) and either could be moved this year as the Hawks continue to reshape their roster. It would be wise for the Hawks to move either Nance and/or Capela this year to get something back and it would not be surprising if the Thunder want to target one of them, with Nance by far making the most sense. The Thunder likes to play a five out style where everyone can shoot, dribble, and handle the ball and that does not fit Capela's game.

Bleacher Report's Dan Favale has an interesting trade proposal that would send Nance to the Thunder:

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Ousmane Dieng, Jaylin Williams, 2025 first-round pick (least favorable from Houston, L.A. Clippers, Miami, Oklahoma City and Utah)

Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Larry Nance Jr., Vit Krejčí

Chet Holmgren's injury further decimates Oklahoma City's center rotation. Kenrich Williams is back, but Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein have yet to play.

Nance is a tad undersized but fits the Thunder's hyper-versatile five-out approach. And head coach Mark Daigneault is (basically) starting Jalen Williams at center these days.

Extracting an extra first-rounder and Ousmane Dieng out of Oklahoma City's situation is good business by the Hawks. Nance is not part of their long-term program, and they get a replacement big in J-Will (once he's healthy).

Dieng has yet to put it all together, but he knows how to use his length and size on defense, even if he's a little stiff. He has also flashed a connective feel on the offensive end.

The overall cost could still be a little hefty for the Thunder, depending on how much they still value Dieng. But they have picks to spare, and while Krejčí is out with an adductor injury, he's a bargain-bin contract (and familiar face) they can move around the positional spectrum."

I will say that I don't think that the Hawks want to trade Krejci. He is a good young player that they have developed and he brings a lot of length and size to the wing position. Dieng is a nice player though and getting back another first round pick would be nice for the Hawks, who could already have as many as two first rounders in 2025. There is not a lot of use for Williams on the roster with Okongwu and Capela still there. It would come down to who the Hawks view as a better long term playe between Krejci and Dieng. If the Hawks like Dieng more, they might be enticed by this trade.

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