NBA Rumors: Hawks Should Consider Trading For DeMar DeRozan, Per ‘Air Alamo’
A new report suggests that the Atlanta Hawks — a team that ranks in the bottom three of the Eastern Conference despite the presence of point guard Trae Young and other up-and-coming stars — could jumpstart their offense and improve their prospects if they trade for San Antonio Spurs shooting guard DeMar DeRozan.
On Wednesday, Fansided blog Air Alamo took a look at how things currently stand for the Spurs — who are now in 12th place in the Western Conference with a 9-14 record — and DeRozan, who has played well for the team since he was acquired from the Toronto Raptors in the summer of 2018. Despite his “solid” numbers, the publication wrote that the 30-year-old guard’s lack of three-point shooting is not a good fit for teams hoping to win a championship, with the Spurs’ “mediocre” record providing further proof that he needs to be traded.
As further noted, several teams have been linked to DeRozan in recent weeks, including the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, and even the Raptors. While the Hawks haven’t been mentioned so far, Air Alamo suggested that they may be a good fit for the four-time All-Star, given how the team has dropped to a 6-19 record in the aftermath of big man John Collins’ 25-game suspension, thus leaving them without a reliable second option on offense.
“For Atlanta, the move for DeRozan is pretty simple,” the publication continued. “The Hawks rank 23rd in offensive rating and most nights have been exclusively the Trae Young show. But, the injection of a veteran scorer would immediately alleviate the immense offensive burden Young has had to shoulder during Collins’ absence.”
DeMar DeRozan on the win, taking the charge on Harden and The play of young Walker pic.twitter.com/MdXlO9T4Z1
— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) December 4, 2019
As further explained, DeRozan’s aversion to shooting from beyond the arc might not be a problem for the Hawks, as Young is one of the NBA’s more prolific three-point marksmen and Collins is a good outside shooter for a big man. Air Alamo added that the Spurs guard could also provide some much-needed experience to a team with an extremely youthful core, one that also features rookie wingmen Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter and second-year shooting guard Kevin Huerter.
Despite the promise shown thus far by Reddish, Hunter, and Huerter, Air Alamo suggested that the Hawks could acquire DeRozan by offering one of those youngsters and a future second-round draft pick, as well as a veteran with an expiring contract — either Allen Crabbe, Chandler Parsons, or Evan Turner — to match salaries. However, the outlet warned that all of the three young players recommended as trade chips have their share of weaknesses at this point in their careers, making them risky acquisitions for San Antonio.
