The Benefits of Atlanta Hawks Trading AJ Griffin on Draft Day

The Atlanta Hawks have finally started making moves after being strangely quiet at the trade deadline. The catalyst for that change was the franchise winning the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, marking the first time they’ve been selected first overall in a draft in nearly 50 years.

By selecting Zaccharie Risacher as the first overall pick, the Hawks were left with a surplus of wingers. As a result, the Hawks had to move one of their under-contract players and the one that seemed most logical to send was AJ Griffin.

There are several positives to this move for the Hawks’ management. First, they were able to get $3.9 million off their books next season and $5.9 million the following season. Yes, the Hawks could have simply declined Griffin’s team option, but then they would have gotten nothing in exchange for a first-round pick from two seasons ago.

Coach Snyder had a mandate when he took over the team to improve their defense. And while Dejounte Murray had already made an All-NBA defensive team, he wasn’t a big factor on defense for the Hawks. That means he was a solid offensive creator, but he wasn’t having the impact on the team that management and the coaching staff wanted him to have.

With the Murray trade, the Hawks now have Young surrounded by defensive-minded wings. Unfortunately for Griffin, he didn’t fit that mold. It’s fair to say he tried to play defense but never really fit into the system.

Now that the Hawks have moved on from Griffin, they can focus on integrating another player into their system to help the franchise move forward. Nikola Djurisic shows great potential with his scoring and creative play, as well as being a solid defender when healthy.

While his shooting game lacks consistency, being on an NBA team with top-tier coaches generally improves a player’s shooting. Griffin has shown no signs of improving defensively, and the Hawks need players who will be effective on that side of the ball.

That’s the real upside to the Griffin trade. Along with the Hawks’ other offseason moves, they’re starting to develop a defensive identity as a franchise. It’s that identity that will propel the Hawks to deep playoff runs in the future if they can get the full buy-in of the entire roster.