No, The Atlanta Hawks Do Not Need To Trade For Zach LaVine

LaVine has been the center of trade rumors this season

Trade rumor season is not in full effect yet, but there have been enough going around. Most of the rumors at this stage of the NBA season have been around players on the Chicago Bulls and the Toronto Raptors. Both teams are on the outside looking in and that could prompt them to look at resetting their rosters with trades before the February trade deadline. 

Any of the three Bulls players DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic could be traded, but the majority of the rumors have surrounded LaVine. The big problem that the Bulls have had in trying to trade LaVine is his contract and the fact that he is not playing very well right now. The teams that have been mentioned as trade partners for LaVine have been the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and others. 

The Hawks have not been mentioned for LaVine recently and neither should they. Atlanta might need to make a trade this season, but LaVine does not need to be the target. 

Atlanta does not need to trade for Zach LaVine / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

LaVine is a good player who I think can help the right team. The things that he does well though would not mesh with the Hawks. He is a scoring guard who needs the ball in his hands and does not play very good defense. He is shooting a career-worst from three and the Bulls have gone on a recent winning streak without him. On top of that, his contract is undesirable and I don't think he would mesh well with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. 

If the Hawks do make a trade, they need a versatile wing player who can guard multiple positions and play well on offense. I know that is the type of player that every NBA team needs, but Atlanta has one of the worst defenses in the NBA. While that is going to improve when Jalen Johnson comes back from injury, LaVine would do nothing to help the Hawks's biggest issues. 

Per Cleaning the Glass, the Bulls offense is six points worse when he is on the floor this season, ranking in the 21st percentile. The team's effective field goal percentage is down and he does not do much on the offensive glass. He has been an elite offensive player in the past, but that is not what he is now. 

There has been another target for the Hawks going back to this past summer that makes much more sense for them and that is Raptors forward Pascal Siakam. 

Should the Hawks trade for Pascal Siakam? / © John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

When appearing on TSN's Overdrive, NBA Insider Shams Charania was discussing the Toronto Raptors and their possible plans as far as trades go. After mentioning that Scottie Barnes is the only untouchable player, Charania mentioned how close the Hawks were to completing a trade for the Raptors forward:

"I can tell you guys, Atlanta felt like they were close and that they had a good, a pretty good package for Pascal Siakam last summer in July and there was some pretty intense conversations back forth with a deal centered around De'Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin and draft compensation and the deal did not get done so we will see as we get closer over the next several months."

A couple of weeks ago, there were rumors that the Hawks were monitoring Siakam as a trade target.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.com, Atlanta continues to monitor Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam as a potential trade target.

Here is what Scotto had to say about the potential trade:

"The Atlanta Hawks continue to monitor Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam as a potential trade target after attempting to acquire him during the offseason, league sources told HoopsHype.

While Atlanta was unable to acquire Siakam over the summer, Jalen Johnson has emerged as an early Most Improved Player candidate, averaging career-highs in points (14.1) on 59.4 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from beyond the arc with 7.3 rebounds as the starting forward before suffering a left wrist injury that could sideline him 4-to-6 weeks, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

“Jalen Johnson has been their third best player this year behind Trae Young and Dejounte Murray,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype.

Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter was among the players discussed during the Siakam talks, and his $20 million salary and versatility on both sides of the ball playing both forward spots at times makes him a trade candidate to watch in a potential deal.

Another Hawks frontcourt player, center Clint Capela, was linked to the Mavericks this offseason, but with the emergence of rookie center Derrick Lively, Dallas’ trade interest in Capela has since faded. However, after signing Onyeka Okongwu to an extension, some rival executives believe Capela could be used as a trade chip again before the February trade deadline.

Patty Mills and his $6.8 million expiring contract is a noteworthy trade chip that could also be included to match salaries."

This is going to be a storyline to watch and follow over the next few months until the trade deadline passes. If the Hawks keep losing games, management could feel pressure to make some changes. I just don't think it should be Zach LaVine. 

De'Andre Hunter Added to the Hawks Injury Report for Tomorrow's Game vs the Denver Nuggets

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