Top NBA Free Agents the Atlanta Hawks Should Target

The NBA draft is less than a month away and shortly after that, free agency will begin. It looks like this offseason will be one of major change for the Atlanta Hawks, who have continued to disappoint every season since their magical run to the Eastern Conference Finals three years ago.

This year’s draft will be monumental for the organization, as they won the lottery for the first time in franchise history and own the No. 1 overall pick. They are also expected to be heavily involved in trade negotiations. Mainly involving their All-Star guards – Trae Young and Dejounte Murray – but other names will be brought up like Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic.

The Atlanta Hawks are not typically a team capable of attracting star free agents, and as of now, they don’t have the money to do so. However, there are plenty of opportunities for them to lose salary before NBA free agency begins.

At ESPN, Kevin Pelton recently revealed his list of the top 20 players set to become free agents, headlined by Lebron James. Of course, the Hawks will never get The King out of Los Angeles, and that’s the case for most of these players. But there are some names on this list worth discussing as potential free agent targets if the Hawks create the necessary cap space.

Potential Atlanta Hawks Free Agent Targets

De’Anthony Melton

Calling Melton one of the best free agents in this class might be a little overzealous. He averaged just 11.0 points on 38.6% shooting from the field and 36.0% from beyond the arc, along with 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. However, he is an extremely versatile defensive player and can play both guard positions effectively. Assuming the Hawks move one of Trae Young or Dejounte Murray, they’ll need another ball handler they can rely on in the rotation. Melton could prove to be a bargain for his next contract, depending on his market.

Pascal Siakam

The Atlanta Hawks were at the forefront of trade rumors surrounding Pascal Siakam for over a year before he was ultimately traded to the Pacers mid-season, helping them advance to the Finals of the Eastern Conference. He looked reinvigorated with Indiana, averaging over 21 points and nearly eight rebounds per game on 54.9 percent shooting from the field and 38.6 percent from the three-point line. Siakam just plays winning basketball; there is no other way around this problem. However, he will turn 30 next season and is in line for a massive contract. Perhaps the Hawks rekindle his interest, but they may want to be wary of potential regression as he grows.

OG Anunoby

Speaking of winning basketball players, ask the Knicks what OG Anunoby brought to their team after acquiring him from Toronto…or just look at their track record. The Knicks won 20 of their last 23 games with Anunoby in the lineup and were on track for the Eastern Conference Finals before injuries completely ravaged their team. He’s a tenacious defender who shines behind the arc and does all the little things to win games. Anunoby would be a dream for the Hawks, who desperately need to shore up their defense, but he’ll likely be too expensive, and I’d be shocked if the Knicks let him go.

Tobias Harris

I’m intrigued to see what the Tobias Harris market looks like this offseason. He rightly received a lot of criticism for not making the playoffs this year, especially for someone with a five-year, $180 million contract. He is also expected to be 32 next season. However, Harris is still a player who can deliver 15-20 points from nearly 50% from the field and 40% from three. If the rest of the league is struggling with him, it might make sense financially.

Monk Malik

Monk may not have lived up to 11th pick status early in his career, but he developed into a formidable player, finishing second in the 6th Man of the Year race. It would be great to add a Hawks bench that could use some extra offense.

Gary Trent Jr.

Trent is a microwave shooter who can play both wing positions. NBA teams can’t get enough of him, and he would have a day on the court shooting open jump shots on passes from Trae Young or Dejounte Murray. At just 25 years old, his best basketball may very well be ahead of him.

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