5. Are Any Stars Attainable?
I couldn’t write this article without mentioning a certain star player that has Hawks fans in a tizzy (while also mentioning some others). Every Hawks fan has their eyes and ears all over the Boston Celtics to see any potential hint about the future of Marietta, GA native Jaylen Brown.
While much of the Brown-to-ATL noise is seemingly fans doing what fans do in likely reading too much into things, I wouldn’t say the chances of it are zero. Brown has been critical at times of his role in Boston (most recently following Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semis) and has been non-committal about his future with the C’s. Brown has just 1 year, $30.7 million left on his deal, and will be up for an extension this offseason (with the exact maximum amount of it to be determined this week based on whether he makes an All-NBA team or not).
At some point, Brown and the Celtics must make a decision. Are both sides ready to commit to each long-term? With Brown under contract for another year, the Celtics could very well decide to just let things ride out next season if an extension is not reached. However, if there is fear that they could lose one of their stars for free, then the Celtics *could* elect to seek a trade (or Brown *could* elect to try and push his way out).
They could also have to make a tough decision on whether the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown duo is one they want to continue to build around. Brown would be tough to get (even if he forced his way out). He is a 26-year-old who averaged 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game on 49.1% shooting with good defense this season. It would take a substantial package including players AND picks to get the deal done (and might force the Hawks’ hands on what decision to make about the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray duo).
I think the likelihood of Brown-to-ATL happening is very slim, but again it’s at least something the Hawks must keep their eye out for (and I don’t necessarily think the percent chance of it is zero).
Other stars that could potentially be on the move this offseason that the Hawks might have their eyes on include the likes of Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, Bradley Beal, and Zach LaVine. All of those players would have to be trade targets, and would not necessarily be cheap to get (depending on the exact situation).
Other names to watch in general are Kristaps Porzingis, Pascal Siakam, and Andrew Wiggins. Oh, and I wouldn’t rule out the Pelicans moving on from either Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram.