Blockbuster New Trade Proposal Sends DeAndre Hunter to Charlotte, Hawks Get Defensive

As the offseason approaches, the Atlanta Hawks have made it a priority to answer two questions.

The first and most important step was deciding whether Trae Young or Dejounte Murray would be the centerpiece of this team. Last season proved that Young and Murray’s coexistence on the court was doomed to failure due to their different skill sets. They selected Young and sent Murray to New Orleans in exchange for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., Cody Zeller, a 2025 first-round pick and a conditional 2027 first-round pick.

Next, they had to figure out the roster around Young. The ideal lineup around him would be two-way players with size and shooting. By taking Zaccharie Risacher in the 2024 NBA Draft and acquiring Daniels, Atlanta can field a roster that looks something close to that. Starting Daniels next to Young isn’t an ideal fit because he’s still developing as a shooter, but his defensive tools are excellent. If the shooting presents itself, Daniels, Johnson, and Risacher are a trio that can give Young the support he needs on both ends of the floor.

However, with Risacher poised to become the long-term starter at power forward, questions are being raised about DeAndre Hunter’s future in Atlanta. To be clear, Hunter is suited to play as a sixth or seventh man. He showed some of his best games as a backup last season. His shooting numbers (38 percent on 5 attempts per game) and exceptional perimeter defense would be a good fit for a variety of teams. It’s also true that his contract complicates things. If Atlanta emphasizes its financial flexibility, it’s very likely that he’ll be traded.

While there is no perfect deal, most contenders don’t have the wiggle room to accommodate Hunter. Teams that might be interested in his skills and able to absorb his salary include the Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets. Of those teams, I think the Hornets could be an interesting fit. They have Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller, but a third wing could give the roster the juice it needs to make the play-in tournament. What would a deal to acquire Hunter look like?

It should be noted that this is just speculation and a fun exercise to see what kinds of moves can be made, not what I think a team should absolutely do. That’s all.

The terms of the exchange are as follows:

Atlanta gets: Grant Williams, Vasilje Micic, 2027 first-round pick (via Miami, protected 1-14)

Charlotte gets: DeAndre Hunter, 2nd round 2025 (via Minnesota)

For Charlotte, this trade makes sense for their short- and long-term needs. They selected French wing Tidjane Salaun with the sixth overall pick, but he will likely need time before he is ready to start. If they were to acquire Hunter, they could play with a LaMelo Ball-Miles Bridges-Brandon Miller-DeAndre Hunter-Mark Williams lineup. The Hornets defense has really struggled in 2023-24, and Hunter would immediately be one of the team’s best defenders. He is bigger than Williams, can play with Ball, and has shown massive improvement as a shooter. Once Salaun is ready, they can move Hunter to a sixth-man role before making a decision on his long-term future. If they decide to trade him, he will still have some intrinsic value due to his status as a wing who can shoot and defend.

Atlanta’s biggest takeaway from this deal would be the cap space and the first-round pick. While Williams is still making $13 million per year for the next three years, it’s a more manageable deal than Hunter. Coming to Charlotte via the P.J. Washington trade, Williams averaged 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He did that while shooting 50 percent of his shots and 37 percent of his four three-point attempts per game. While he’s not the tallest player, Williams uses his strength and basketball IQ to hold his own against opposing forwards and centers. While I still expect Jalen Johnson to be the primary defender against big men, Williams can provide some of that as well.

Micic is a good fit for Atlanta as a backup point guard who can rotate backup lineups. His passing ability shined in Charlotte, but his shot is still developing. While he got some playing time in Charlotte last season, they wouldn’t really need him if they made this trade. Acquiring Hunter would allow them to play Bridges or Miller at shooting guard and make Tre Mann the sixth man/backup point guard. Mann had a good season with the Hornets and probably has more offensive potential than Micic, as Micic is already 30 years old.

Miami’s first-round pick probably doesn’t have much upside, but Atlanta is currently in a pick deficit. Given that Miami rarely rebuilds and manages to make the playoffs nearly every year, this pick has a good chance of working out. It’s a gamble that makes sense for Atlanta.

While the deal makes sense, I think Atlanta is refusing to make the move because Williams also has a pretty high salary for the backup power forward role he would fill. Charlotte could say no because they see Williams as a depth player and a veteran who can help the Hornets. The difference between what he gave them and what Hunter brings might not match the difference in salary.

Whether or not they trade him to Charlotte, it will be very interesting to see what Atlanta decides to do with Hunter.