Hawks Reportedly Open To Trading No. 6 NBA Draft Pick for 'Veteran Help'
The Atlanta Hawks have a superstar in Trae Young and several intriguing young pieces around him, with the team now in the process of trying to build a playoff contender.
One veteran they might consider trading for is Jrue Holiday.
According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, "the Hawks might try nabbing Holiday using their No. 6 pick—which they would be open to trading for veteran help, per several sources—but I don't see that alone getting it done. Would they attach one of their young wings?"
That follows a report Wednesday from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium that the Pelicans "are openly discussing star Jrue Holiday in trade talks, and several contending teams are pursuing."
A player like Holiday would make a ton of sense in the same backcourt as Young. His ability to guard the opponent's best perimeter weapon on defense while being able to operate on or off the ball offensively would perfectly complement Young.
Granted, his shooting (35.4 percent from three for his career) might not move the needle for the Hawks. But the 30-year-old's defense, leadership and well-rounded game would instantly make the Hawks better.
It's a fair, however, to question whether they would be willing to attach a young wing like D'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter or Cam Reddish in a deal. And which of those three players New Orleans would prefer to complement Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and, to a lesser extent, Lonzo Ball?
Huerter might make the most sense given his ability to space the floor (38.0 percent from three last season on 6.0 attempts per game). That's a skill set New Orleans will need around its young core.
Hunter and Reddish are better two-way players, offering better defense. Hunter shot the ball better last year than Reddish (almost 3 percent better overall and from beyond the arc) and has the ability to guard multiple positions, including 4s. The fourth overall draft pick in 2019 can fade into the background offensively at times, however, though as a third or fourth option in New Orleans, that might not be as big a detriment.
The 10th overall pick in the same draft, Reddish played solid defense last season as well and is less likely to fade into the background on offense. His shooting is a question mark, however, as he shot just 33.2 percent from three. Granted, that number continued to improve as the season wore on after a poor start.
It's possible that Atlanta continues to just build around a young core, keeps the No. 6 pick and stays patient. Hunter, Reddish and Huerter each brings different things to the table for Atlanta. Giving up on any of them and another lottery selection might feel like jumping the gun. But the Hawks will certainly be a fascinating team to monitor this offseason.
