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Atlanta Hawks are the favourites to trade for Detroit Pistons All-Star centre Andre Drummond. The Hawks are still midway through a rebuild, despite drafting DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish in 2019 to add to starlets Trae Young and John Collins (who has missed much of the season through suspension).
A protected first-round selection in 2020 – potentially Brooklyn’s pick – and Chandler Parsons‘ expiring contract would likely be the required package for the Hawks to land Drummond. The Hawks have been the worst defensive rebounding team in the NBA so far this season – Drummond is the best in the league on the boards, and has led the NBA in total rebounds on three occasions.
Atlanta are a long way from win-now. Drummond has a player option (which he’ll likely turn down) for next season. It is, in the most obvious terms, not a perfect partnership.
Logic can be found if the Hawks were to use this as a move to settle the frustrated Young and extend Drummond. As a pick-and-roll partnership, there’s plenty to like, and Drummond would bring much-needed rim protection (though he’s not exactly Rudy Gobert on the defensive end). That potential extension is where the logic fades, though, with Drummond likely to receive a max, or very close to it, contract in the summer.
The Hawks have cap flexibility galore with Parsons, Allen Crabbe and Evan Turner all expiring. The free agent class isn’t exactly loaded, but they aren’t forced to blow that cap space on long-term deals. Trading for Drummond would either be a waste of a draft pick or be committing to him as part of their core – neither of those options seem a good idea at this stage for Atlanta, who should be considering trades for players with more team control if they are to make any deals before the deadline.
