NBA Rumors: Hawks Should Target Myles Turner Before February Trade Deadline, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
While most NBA teams in the league became aggressive in building a roster that can legitimately contend for the NBA championship title this summer, the Atlanta Hawks decided to remain patient and focus on the development of their young players. The Hawks may still be in the middle of a rebuilding process but if things go according to their plan, Bleacher Report‘s Greg Swartz sees Atlanta as one of the NBA teams who have the best shot at a future dynasty.
It’s easy to understand why people are starting to envision a bright future for the Hawks. The Hawks may have finished the 2018-19 NBA season with one of the worst records in the Eastern Conference, but their young core led by former No. 5 overall pick Trae Young has shown massive improvement with their game. If they grow together and build good chemistry, the Hawks could find their way back to the playoffs sooner than later.
However, in order to further strengthen their chance of creating their own dynasty, the Hawks should continue to address some of the issues on their roster. According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, one of the areas that the Hawks need to improve is their frontcourt. Buckley believes that the Hawks should find a long-term answer at the center position – an All-Star caliber big man who can protect the rim and knock down shots from beyond the arc.
Buckley suggested that the Hawks could target Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline.
“Given that Collins is neither a floor-spacer nor a shot-blocker, Atlanta’s ideal big man would do both. Myles Turner is one of the few players who scratches each itch. Just last season, he tallied a league-leading 2.7 blocks and a career-high 1.0 triples per game on 38.8 percent shooting,” Buckley said.
“Even better, he’s signed through 2022-23 and young enough to fit the timeline of Atlanta’s core. While the Indiana Pacers probably aren’t rushing to trade Turner, they haven’t answered questions about his long-term viability alongside Domantas Sabonis. In fact, this frontcourt grew more congested when Indy added center Goga Bitadze on draft night.”
Myles Turner & the #USABMNT close out exhibition play with a 84-68 win over Canada! ?? pic.twitter.com/9ETpVhhjZF
— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 26, 2019
Myles Turner would undeniably be an incredible addition to the Hawks, giving them a shot-blocking and floor-spacing big man who fits the timeline of the franchise cornerstone, Trae Young. Last season, Turner averaged 13.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc. As of now, the Pacers haven’t shown any indication that they are planning to make Turner available on the trade market before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline. However, if ever they consider moving Turner, the Pacers will likely demand an incredibly significant offer from interested teams.
