ATLANTA, GEORGIA – FEBRUARY 23: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts during the fourth quarter ,
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Trae Young is in rumors of a departure in the NBA offseason due to the Atlanta Hawks’ weak play this season.
While his name will obviously continue to make headlines for months until the Hawks decide what to do with him, it may be worth considering streamlining the roster in other areas, including identifying players who Including those they want to keep for a long time.
As it stands, the Hawks have a surprisingly deep roster with a lot of young talent, but not all of that talent has a path to minutes.
While it may be difficult for the Hawks organization, taking a step back a year to allow kids to step up wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.
This means fielding players like Bogdan Bogdanovic and Clint Capela, both of whom are still effective but aging.
The 31-year-old Bogdanovic continues to be one of the better scoring guards in the league, especially coming off the bench. He is a high-volume three-point shooter, can score off the dribble and from the spot up, and makes reasonable reads when serving as a playmaker.
Several suitors should be interested in his services, especially when considering his contract. After this year, Bogdanovic’s extension will kick in and he will make $17.2 million next season, $16.0 million the year after that, and a third year – a team option – at the same amount.
A contract like that is golden, especially when attached to a player of such caliber.
The Hawks should fully test their market value to give young players like Kobe Bufkin and AJ Griffin more floor time. They already have young, established guys like Jalen Johnson and De’Andre Hunter, and they have shown a knack for making draft picks the right way.
As for Capela, who at 29 is still good for a double-double on a nightly basis and overall solid defense, the story is much the same. At $22.2 million next year, he’s more expensive than Bogdanovic, but his contract is expiring, meaning he won’t clog up anyone’s cap sheet for years.
Any trade of Capela would allow Onyeka Okongwu to replace him, which seems especially prudent given the four-year extension he signed for just $62 million — a complete bummer considering the expected salary cap increase. deal.
If the Hawks can find a buyout for Capela who is willing to absorb a significant portion of that salary into cap space, Atlanta could enter the 2024-2025 season with one of the cheapest non-rookie contracts for centers in the league. Could.
Of course, there is another name that we have to take into account. Dejounte Murray.
Murray was in trade rumors before the trade deadline, but ultimately stalled. This is so he won’t be upset if the team decides to trade Young out, but if they choose to stick with their current lead-guard, Murray will likely have to play in a new uniform by the start of next season. Will be found to have happened.
The good news for Atlanta is that he should have plenty of value this upcoming summer given his all-round play, and the fact that he’s just 27 years old. Many teams would also agree given his modest contract ($114 million over four seasons). ,
Given that many teams could use a high-end point guard – such as the San Antonio Spurs – the Hawks should have plenty of chances to find a deal that nets them a decent chunk.
Ultimately, the Hawks will need to do something. They tried to unite for years, but never found a player who was worth it and available at the same time. If they fail to figure it out again this summer, turning their attention towards the younger generation may be their best card.
All figures unless otherwise noted nba.com, pbpsstats, cleaning glass Or basketball-reference, All salary related information Spotrac, courtesy of all odds FanDuel Sportsbook,
