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3 Trade Targets Hawks Should Watch as Frontcourt Concerns Grow
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- 3 Trade Targets Hawks Should Watch as Frontcourt Concerns Grow
(Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images)
At 4-4, it would be hard to say the Atlanta Hawks have gotten off to a hot start. Luckily, there are at least three potential trade candidates who could help them turn things around.
We're not talking about tomorrow. The Hawks should not make a panic trade. Still, a brutal loss to a previously winless Miami Heat squad should sound some alarm bells. So should Saturday's 121-99 loss in New Orleans. Monday's 108-104 win at Indiana , which got them back to .500, came against a Pacers team that played only six players.
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Who knows? The Hawks could right the ship without doing anything. That said, they have fundamental problems that don't feel likely to solve themselves.
If they do need to make a move, here are three guys who should be on their radar.
1. Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
I've written here before that the Hawks must preserve floor spacing at the center position. Eight games into the season, it's beginning to look like they may just need size at any cost.
Missi is a non-shooter, but he would at least provide size. The 6-foot-11, 235-pound big man is a dominant rebounder and rim protector. He had 13 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals in the Pelicans' season opener against Indiana. He hasn't played since suffering a left knee bone bruise against the Jazz on Oct. 23, and the Pelicans have not set a timetable for his return.
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The Hawks could acquire Missi and continue to start Onyeka Okongwu , and pull him early in favor of Missi against certain matchups. They could also slot Okongwu at the 4 at times, giving them a size advantage over a lot of teams.
Unless they insist on getting floor spacing at the 5, that is.
2. Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks
Granted, Turner is shooting a weak 25.0% from deep this year, even after going 3-of-6 in Monday's loss at Minnesota. Before this season, he had shot 36.5% from three across 11 NBA seasons, including 38.3% last year. He's averaging 8.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.
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It does feel like the 30-year-old's stock has been dropping for a couple of seasons. The Bucks signed Turner in July 2025 to complement Giannis Antetokounmpo. That didn't work, and Milwaukee traded Antetokounmpo to Miami this offseason. Now Turner looks aimless on a rebuilding team that is 1-6. Joining a competitive group like the Hawks could reinvigorate the veteran.
If there's a downside here, it's Turner's contract. He signed a four-year, $107 million deal with Milwaukee. The Hawks have the contracts to match his money, but if they're sending out multiple players, they may prefer a more ambitious target.
That brings us to the last player on this list.
3. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
This isn't the first time Towns has been linked to the Hawks, but as their need to bolster their center depth emerges, it's worth discussing again.
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Towns has long had a reputation as a bad defender, but by now, that reputation precedes reality. He's tightened up considerably on that end of the floor.
Offensively, he hasn't changed much. Towns is averaging 20.3 points and 13.9 rebounds per game while shooting 39.4% from three-point range. He had 11 points and 16 rebounds in Monday's 103-90 win over Brooklyn. He's long been one of the best offensive centers in the NBA.
So, he'll come with a hefty price tag. Towns is in the final guaranteed year of his contract, with a player option for 2027-28. He could be worth it. Towns could be the Hawks' missing piece that vaults them into serious title contention:
Unless they get hot enough without him.
