A team that is not often mentioned but could make sense in an Anthony Davis trade is the Atlanta Hawks. What would it take for the New Orleans Pelicans to entertain an offer from them?
The teams that seem most often linked to Anthony Davis/New Orleans Pelicans trade rumors are franchises like the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers. It’s not that difficult to figure out why, as these large market teams have a slew of valuable young players and potential draft assets that New Orleans would covet for a rebuild. However, a team that is not yet on anyone’s radar that could feasibly jump into the mix is the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks are a young team and have struggled once again this season because of it. They’re in twelfth place in the Eastern Conference and currently hold the most likely odds to select fifth overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. However, with some luck, the Hawks could easily put together a trade package worthy of tempting the Pelicans into pulling the trigger on a deal.
With the new draft lottery odds that went into place this season, the Atlanta Hawks currently have a 10.5% chance to win the first overall pick in the draft. For reference, the teams with the highest odds (New York, Phoenix, and Cleveland) will each have a 14% chance. So, as you can see, while the Hawks obviously don’t have the best chance to select first, they legitimately do have a totally realistic hope of winning the lottery.
If the Hawks do end up winning the #1 pick, the New Orleans Pelicans would almost certainly ring up Atlanta almost immediately to see if they could work out a deal. Here’s one that would make a lot of sense:
The Hawks have two very exciting young assets in possible Rookie of the Year Trae Young and John Collins that they absolutely would not want to move in a trade. Instead, they’d part with their #1 pick in order to put together an incredibly dynamic and exciting roster featuring AD, Young, and Collins, which surely could make some serious noise in the Eastern Conference next season. Atlanta is a big market that might actually have a pretty good chance of re-signing Anthony Davis if 2019-2020 goes well for the organization.
The two players the Pelicans return here are young and can shoot the lights out, which are types of guys you can never have too many of. Taurean Prince is a Swiss Army Knife-type wing that has shot an awesome 39% from three point range and over 13 points per game in the last two seasons. He’s only 25 and will keep improving.
The other piece here, Kevin Huerter, is a 20 year old rookie that’s already shooting about 38% himself from deep, which is a great percentage for someone in his first year in the NBA. Both of these players could step up and put points on the board in bunches given the right opportunities, and New Orleans will have plenty of playing time to go around.
However, the main attraction in this trade package is clearly Zion Williamson, who is the guaranteed top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Unless you live under a rock that’s under a bigger rock that’s under a bigger rock, you know that Zion is widely touted as the next big thing to come into the league. If the Pelicans can turn this Anthony Davis fiasco in to the deal that landed them Zion Williamson, it could benefit the franchise for the next decade.
There’s some luck that needs to come the New Orleans Pelicans’ way in this scenario, but this city is due for some good fortune. If the Atlanta Hawks do end up securing the top pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, look for them to shoot to the top of the list for potential Anthony Davis trade partners.