Washington Wizards Trade Kirk Hinrich to the Atlanta Hawks

The flood gates officially opened when Carmelo Anthony was finally traded to the New York Knicks.

Now, the Washington Wizards have traded point guard Kirk Hinrich, along with center/forward Hilton Armstrong, to the Atlanta Hawks. The deal brings Mike Bibby, shooting guard Jordan Crawford, forward Maurice Evans, and a first-round pick to D.C.

For the Wizards, expiring contracts and young talent are the best acquisitions with rebuilding in mind.

Evans' contract expires at the end of this season, while Bibby's runs through next year. Crawford, just a rookie, has a contract that runs through next season with team options and a qualifying offer for the three years after. Bibby's contract is worth around $12 million, whereas Hinrich was earning $17 million over this year and the next.

Bibby will be a veteran presence on a team full of young players in need of guidance.

Crawford, the 27th overall pick in last year's draft, is a pure scorer with an attacking mentality. He could become a quality scorer off the bench if given the opportunity, but he won't see many starts with Nick Young coming into his own this season. At the very least, Crawford provides depth at a position of need for the Wizards.

The first-round pick is another example of owner Ted Leonsis applying a draft-heavy building plan on his current project.

Losing Hinrich means the Wizards gain experience in lieu of the versatility Hinrich offered. Depending on the situation, he had split time between shooting guard and point guard as well as providing a solid defensive presence on the ball.

Aside from Young, Hinrich was the only real shooter on the roster. Armstrong didn't have much of a presence during his time in Washington except maybe for his scuffle with Juwan Howard of the Miami Heat earlier this season.

This move is a sign of forward-thinking for the Wizards, who can use every bit of young talent they can find. They have some decisions to make in terms of their direction, finding help at small forward, and the future of power forward Andray Blatche.

All in all, this was a good trade at a good time for the Wizards.