Why Atlanta Hawks Should Trade Up in 2022 NBA Draft

The Hawks could shake up the draft with a trade.

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

There is no doubt the Atlanta Hawks will shake up their roster this off-season. Team president Travis Schlenk has already said he regretted not improving the roster last summer. As I wrote earlier today, every player except Trae Young is on the chopping block.

While it's true the Hawks roster is uniquely built for a consolidation trade; they also are over the luxury tax with just nine players on the books for next season. With a dire need to surround their All-NBA point guard with more talent, and little financial flexibility, the Hawks could kill two birds with one stone by trading up in the NBA Draft.

A reminder that OKC has 38 draft picks in the next 7 years. pic.twitter.com/SYuCfDqpw9

— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 17, 2022

Not to sound like the Charlie Kelly 'Pepe Silvia' meme, but hear me out. The Hawks could double-down on their young roster, rather than chasing another bloated contract that will leave them more top-heavy than ever.

The 2022 NBA Draft is three weeks from tonight, and trade rumors will only increase as we approach the big night. Currently, Tankathon has the top four draft picks are shaping up like the table below:

Team	Player
Orlando Magic	Jabari Smith
Oklahoma City Thunder	Chet Holmgren
Houston Rockets	Paolo Banchero
Sacramento Kings	Jaden Ivey

Not only do the Hawks have several enticing players on team-friendly deals, but they have the 16th and 44th overall picks in this year's draft, as well as all of their future draft picks. 

The Orlando Magic seems high on former Auburn Tiger Jabari Smith. But perhaps a deal could be made with Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti. Few players in this draft class excite me more than former Gonzaga Bulldog Chet Holmgren. The 7'0" stretch center is worth swinging for the fences. 

Of course, Hawks fans will be the first to remind you that head coach Nate McMillan does not play his rookies. Jalen Johnson received historically low minutes his rookie season, and Onyeka Okongwu only saw action during the 2020-21 season because the front office nudged McMillan to do so.

But Holmgren is good enough to force his way onto the court. The Hawks would have an MVP candidate in Trae Young and a Rookie of the Year candidate in Holmgren. Due to the lack of financial flexibility, the Hawks won't be major players in free agency. So, if they were to make a trade, now would be the time to make a forward-facing move rather than chasing another expensive contract.

Chet Holmgren would pair nicely with Trae Young / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

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