With the Feb. 7 trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Hawks are prioritizing the future in any transactions, general manager Travis Schlenk tells Chris Kirchner of The Athletic.
“We’re looking for future assets,” Schlenk said. “We already have five picks in this draft and more than likely, two firsts and three seconds. Any of the deals we do will be future assets or a deal that maybe will increase our (cap) flexibility moving forward. We’re still on the same trajectory.”
On the current Hawks roster, veteran point guard Jeremy Lin, swingman Kent Bazemore, forward Taurean Prince, and big man Dewayne Dedmon are all possible trade candidates. The emergence of John Collins and Atlanta’s first round pick from last summer, Trae Young, has given the Hawks a core to build around.
However, one year after not making a significant deal at the deadline last year, Schlenk also noted the team would not make a trade just for the sake of it.
“We’re certainly listening to a lot of stuff, but we’re not going to do a bad deal or do a deal that will hamper our objectives,” he said.
They are giving up on Taurean Prince? Okay now you have my attention as far as assets. Bazemore isn’t worth an asset, he is an overpaid defender. Lin will get you a contract + a 2nd. Dedmon, I like him, on the BO market though.
Put Prince in a better line-up and I think his defense improves instead of plateauing/worsening.
Saw these trade proposals so bad… link to soaringdownsouth.com
I’d give up a future protected 1st to get Prince.
yeah I thought Prince was part of the future…guess not
I guess the consensus is that he has plateaued. 1 more year of guaranteed control. He would improve the Sixers lineup instantly. Honestly this is lined up, Sixers need Dedmon and Prince. Patton, Amir, and Korkmaz meet the salary requirements. This is where declining Korkmaz’ option was a boneheaded idea. But add in a future lottery protected 1st (this would obviously transfer give Sixers roster), sprinkle in a 2nd rounder or two.
Elton Brand needs to earn his salary and make this happen. Solves the backup 3 and D, backup stretch 4/5.
I actually agree with about how the Sixers could use Prince. I never understood the point of declining the option on Korkmaz.
Let me ask you something… would *you* give up a Sixers protected 1st if you had Prince?
Or do you think the Sixers are going to have some decent 1st round draft slots in the near future?
I’m not seeing an opportunity for a deal here.
They devalued him as soon as they made him available. The trades I’ve seen involving him all include a bad contract coming back to the Hawks warranting a protected pick. Of he lands with any of the contenders, most of them will be outside the lottery for the next few years just by the looks of their rosters and cap space. His value is greater than Stanley Johnson, who may set the market for what a Prince trade would look like. I presented a trade scenario that doesnt add any forward salary.
*warranting an unprotected pick
Aren’t we all
Jumping the shark here.
The report from Charania is that the Hawks have “engaged” teams calling about Prince.
What does “engaged” mean?
That they’ve given up on Prince? That they’re actively marketing him?
Or, that other GMs have asked about his availability, and Schlenk has replied something to the effect of, “Well, what are you willing to send back?”
He’s not an untouchable, true, but there’s hardly any of those regardless… no harm in measuring the market on Prince or anyone else. The price would be high.
There are no untouchables on this roster.
That some GMs would like to gauge what the Hawks would need in return and that Schlenk would be interested to gauge what other GMs would be willing to give back in return… that’s not really news. That’s somewhat to be expected.
Trading Prince less than 30 games into his 3rd year, and under a new coach, is extremely hard to imagine. He is a bona fide large-frame SF, which is a rare commodity in today’s NBA. Offensively, he already compares favorably to Paul George’s trend line, but clearly, he has some defensive shortcomings that we’d all like to see get turned to positives.
If we were ever to give him up, there would almost certainly have to be a younger SF (not a SG) with a higher upside coming back in return. Right now, it’s not clear that there is anyone out there either in the league or in the upcoming draft who would qualify, short of Zion Williamson, and that would have to be a trade executed after the season, not now.
Schlenk is building the team with ‘his guys’ and he didn’t draft Prince. He wasn’t with the organization prior to 2017. So Prince may just not be part of ‘his plan’ simple as that.
I honestly don’t think they’d be looking for any particular player back in the trade. Probably a future 1st (from a contender) that’s going to be in the 20s and maybe a 2nd if it’s him alone. Atlanta already has the 5th and 11th projected pick in the 2019 draft. Probably loving the Zion and JA hype while he’s got eyes locked on RJ Barrett and possibly looking for draft capital to leap into the Top-3 to land him if needed.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they move Bembry too. The plan has to be to push out their window with young talent to when the current superstars are in their 30s or in the West.
Young – Huerter – RJ Barrett? – Collins – Bol Bol? They could come out of the draft with like that if the ping pong balls go their way.
That lineup sounds nasty in like 3 years
I had to read that second paragraph at least 3 times to understand it lol
Schlenk may be dreaming a bit, thinking of draft picks raining down, and a GSW style he wants to emulate. Maybe Prince is in the way of these dreams, like Shroder was.
It is a bit alarming that Prince may be on the block, and even more for a Hawks fan I’m sure. It seems early for a 24 yr old former #12 pick with plus numbers last year– but not this year, with time missed and more time out of position.
This is actually the second time I have read about his availability.
I think Prince has already reached his peak .. he wasn’t very highly touted out of college at Baylor and he had like 1 good year in the league .. I mean I’m not the end all be all analyst but that’s my opinion