Looking ahead to the NBA offseason, the Atlanta Hawks are going to be one of the more interesting teams to watch. After limping through the 2021-2022 season, the team was quickly bounced by the top-seeded Miami Heat in a gentleman's sweep. After such a frustrating season, the Atlanta Hawks are left looking for answers. Trae Young is cemented as the squad's superstar, but outside of him, everyone should be available if the price is right says Nick Kayal.
"If I could trade Onyeka Okongwu, DeAndre Hunter, or John Collins and his 5 year, $125 million contract and get something that makes (the Hawks) better, I'm doing it," Kayal said. "You want to get a star. You want to have Trae and a running mate that makes you say 'that's one of the best one-two punches in the league and (the Hawks) are viable title contenders'."
Trae Young is fresh off his first All-NBA recognition, but while he took a giant leap forward the rest of the roster appeared to be stuck in idle. Travis Schlenk and the Atlanta Hawks should be focused on improving in any way that they can in order to add talent around their young superstar.
"If you move an Onyeka Okongwu and only get 1-percent better, I'm fine with it," says Kayal.
With much of the top talent under contract elsewhere in the NBA, a trade that includes a player of his importance is possible, if not probable. The Hawks have plenty of role-player talent that could be enough to entice a general manager to make a deal, even if it's not for a "superstar".
"But the notion that there are some players on this team that you're not going to move on from, unless it means a star in return, to me is a little silly."
What he firmly believes is that everyone on this roster should be available, unless your name is Trae Young, because the goal is to get better at all costs.