NBA Trade Deadline 2012: The One Trade the Atlanta Hawks Must Make

HAWKS TRADE: Kirk Hinrich, Vladimir Radmanovic and their No. 1 Pick

SUNS TRADE: Steve Nash

The Atlanta Hawks have one of the most talented starting fives in the NBA when healthy. They also have the perfect roster to run, run and run some more. However, at present, their starting point guard is better suited to come off the bench than start—due to his shoot-first, pass-second nature.

In short, Steve Nash would be the perfect point guard for the Atlanta Hawks.

It has been reported that the Hawks are shopping star forward Josh Smith, listening to offers for star shooting guard Joe Johnson and searching for a true center so that they can move Al Horford to his more natural power forward position.

However, I personally don't believe the Hawks will find another team to take on the salary of Joe Johnson, nor will they find a team to give them fair value for the insanely-talented Smith—and legit centers are hard to come by.

I do believe they could land Steve Nash, however, and I would be disgusted with the front office if they are not at least attempting to do so.

Steve Nash, coupled with a healthy Al Horford, would transform the Hawks from a top-eight to a top-three team in the Eastern Conference and give them a legitimate shot at winning the East. The Hawks brass should do everything in their power to acquire Steve Nash while the getting is good.

As for the the Suns, they seem to be content with allowing Nash to play out his contract (which expires at the end of this season) and watch him leave for a new team—leaving them with nothing but cap space. That is nothing short of certifiable lunacy. Steve Nash is one of the greatest offensive point guards (he's not one of the top five, and perhaps 10 point guards of all time due to his porous defense) in the history of basketball.

While he is closer to 50 years of age than 20, he still has solid trade value.

I believe the Suns would agree to this proposed trade, primarily because it gives them two expiring contracts—rather than a decent player who is under contract for next season. They would also get a first-round draft pick in this year's deep and talented draft, which they could use to draft Nash's replacement—such as Kendal Marshall or Scott Machado.

This is yet another realistic trade that should get done by the deadline, but probably won't.