Pascal Siakam Plays the Game of His Life, Pacers Lead 2-0
New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Kevin Durant to Denver, Porter Jr to Phoenix, Hawks Add Veterans
Jackson Caudell | 53 Minutes Ago
Mar 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives to the net in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Mar 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) drives to the net in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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Atlanta Hawks
The offseason is here for 26 teams in the NBA. The conference finals have arrived and there are only four teams left alive with hopes of making it to the ultimate goal of winning a championship. Heading into this offseason, the Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, and the Phoenix Suns are all searching for the next steps to take as a franchise, which is different for all three.
Atlanta is going to be a team worth watching. Most will point to a potential Trae Young trade, but that does not appear likely (for now) and Atlanta may move forward with this core of Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu. If the Hawks decide to do that, they need to improve their bench in a big way this offseason. Due to the NBA’s CBA and apron rules, you are going to be seeing a lot more three-team trades between teams so salaries can move around. Atlanta could try to attach themselves to a big deal and add some pieces to their bench if they opt to move forward with this starting five. The Hawks need interior defense, frontcourt depth, shooting, and maybe a backup lead guard/ball handler. This is not a great free agent class to be filling those needs, so could the Hawks look to the trade market? NBA insider Marc Stein has already reported that Atlanta could look to be facilitators this summer in the trade market due to their financial flexibility, depending on if the team brings back any of Caris LeVert, Clint Capela, or Larry Nance.
Phoenix is in perhaps the bleakest situation in the entire NBA. They do not control their own draft picks for the rest of the decade, they are in the dreaded second apron and have little means to improve, and are stuck with the Bradley Beal contract, which has a no-trade clause. It seems like the only way that the Suns can improve their team is if they decide to trade one or both Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, with Durant being the far more likely option. What kind of return would Durant get the Suns given his age and injury history? It is one of the more fascinating questions in the NBA.
