NBA Rumors: As they continue to find a path forward, the Atlanta Hawks could be on the verge of another possible misstep in their build.
For most of this season, the Atlanta Hawks have been pretty much what everyone expected them to be - a middling team, at best, in the Eastern Conference with very little promise of emerging as a playoff team. However, over the last two and a half weeks of the season, the Hawks have begun to show a little life. Since November 27, the Hawks have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA. During that stretch, the Hawks are 6-1 and have been fueled by an improved offense and defense.
Of course, the question is, was that just a hot streak or is that closer to what the Hawks can be this season? It's difficult to answer considering the Hawks have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the Eastern Conference over the past couple of seasons. Because of those inconsistencies, it could lead to a confusing approach at the NBA Trade Deadline. And if the recent reporting is any indication, it may already seem as if the Hawks are hesitant to make any type of seller move a the deadline.
More specifically, the Hawks are not currently interested in discussing a trade of Larry Nance Jr. If the Hawks aren't open to trading or discussing a trade of Nance, I find it hard to believe this team is going to be willing to trade any of their key players on the roster. That leads me to believe the front office is not ready to throw in the towel on the season just yet. While admirable, that's consistent with what has, at least partly, limited the Hawks to mediocrity in the East over the last few seasons.
Why the Atlanta Hawks could be making a mistake at the Trade Deadline
To be perfectly honest, the Hawks not embracing a seller label or at the very least a retooling role at the NBA Trade Deadline would be considered a big mistake. While there have been some bright spots in this young season for the Hawks, I'm not sure this team has the capability to make much noise in the postseason. Even if the Hawks continue to play better than expected for the remainder of the season, I'm still not sure their ceiling includes finishing in the top 6 of the conference.
At best, the Hawks are a Play-In Tournament team that would have a 50-50 chance to make the final postseason group. And even then, it would be a huge upset if the Hawks were able to beat any of the top seeds in a seven-game playoff series. Especially for a team like the Hawks, it would be shocking to see them not trade an expiring contract like Nance ahead of the deadline.
Even if the Hawks believed they had a shot at making the playoffs, there's very little upside to keeping Nance on the roster and bypassing the opportunity to cash in on the asset at the NBA Trade Deadline. If this is the path the Hawks end up taking leading up to the trade deadline, I can't help but wonder how much of a misstep this could end up being for the team.