Many assume the Hawks are finished making major transactions this summer, and I tend to agree. The only significant move I could see coming up is a Clint Capela or De’Andre Hunter deal.
However, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report sees things differently. In a stunning transaction, the Hawks emerge as unexpected victors of the Lauri Markkanen sweepstakes, sending a three-player package and two first-round picks to Utah in return for the forward.
Atlanta Hawks Receive: F. Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz F/C Onyeka Okongwu, G/F Dyson Daniels, Singapore Kobe Bufkin, 2025 first-round selection (unprotected via Los Angeles Lakers); 2025 first-round pick (top-12-protected via Sacramento Kings).
Markkanen is exactly the type of player the Hawks should be seeking for to complement Jalen Johnson and Trae Young. He’s a 7-foot big guy with the talent to play small forward, a poster child for position-less basketball.
Consider a starting lineup of Trae Young, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, Markkanen, and Clint Capela. That is the sort of length Atlanta requires with Trae Young on the court.
He is coming off a season in which he scored more over 23 points per game, but more crucially for Young, he hit 41.4% on catch-and-shoot threes. A move like this would immediately elevate the Hawks to Eastern Conference contention status.
The Jazz would have five first-round selections in a crowded 2025 draft class, but I’m not convinced this sort of offer can persuade Utah to release their most precious trade piece. I don’t think it should even begin the ball moving, given what Mikal Bridges was dealt for earlier in the summer.
