Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr and Nikola Jovic listed as dream targets for Atlanta in potential Trae Young trade

The Atlanta Hawks have a strong case to be the most interesting team heading into the NBA offseason. Not only did the Hawks shockingly win the draft lottery, but they also have a decision to make regarding their star duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Which player they trade and which path they take with the No. 1 pick will be fascinating decisions to watch this summer.

Before delving into this, it’s worth noting that the Hawks did not make Young available for trade and Young did not request to be traded. This is just speculation and I still think Young will stay in Atlanta once all is said and done this summer. It appears Atlanta is headed toward breaking up its backcourt consisting of Young and Dejounte Murray, but that could mean Murray is the one who gets traded. Atlanta was shopping Murray this season, including against the Lakers. There have been numerous reports from “Rival Executives” about the possibility of the Hawks trading Trae Young, but nothing from Young or the Hawks themselves. Keep that in mind for this offseason.

If the Hawks decide to trade Young or he requests a trade, where could he end up? The Lakers and Spurs have been two of the most popular destinations, but Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey said the Miami Heat could have the Hawks’ dream trade package if they decide to move Young, while he also said the Lakers have the most realistic trade package. commercial package:

Potential purchasing power: middle level of taxpayer ($5.2 million)

Realistic: Lakers players and draft assets

“The Atlanta Hawks’ most obvious path to drastic change (and possible improvement) is the Trae Young move that we’ve been speculating about for months.

And while he would likely net the Hawks more than a potential Dejounte Murray trade, his market might not yield a massive return.

On the one hand, this summer’s trade market could include at least one other top guard, whether it’s Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland. The Western Conference playoff situation as it has unfolded could have the Los Angeles Lakers looking for size instead of offense and playmaking.

Still, if salary and a few picks end up being enough to get Young, the Lakers will have to think about doing it. Despite his flaws, Young is an offensive star. And a two-man game with him and Anthony Davis would make for an interesting post-LeBron base.

Dream: Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and/or Nikola Jović

If, on the other hand, two or three teams enter the Young Sweepstakes and drive up the prices, the Miami Heat’s young centerpieces would be about as successful as Atlanta could hope to make.

Tyler Herro has averaged at least 20 points in each of the last three seasons, has already won sixth place for Man of the Year and is only 24 years old. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is 23 years old and appears to have real upside. And Nikola Jović, soon to be 21, has high-end potential in terms of floor 4 spacing.

Incorporating two or three of these players into a rotation that already includes Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu could set Atlanta up for sustained success. »

Would this Heat trade package help the Hawks in the long run? I think this is better than what the Lakers could offer as I would rather have Herro and Jaiquez Jr than Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, but I would still question this team’s ceiling with Dejounte Murray being the better player . Murray is a good player, but I think the Hawks’ ceiling is higher with Young as the centerpiece, although I recognize the difficulties in building around him. This team could be a playoff contender, but unless Johnson or the No. 1 pick makes big strides toward becoming a star player, I think the ceiling would be limited for the Hawks. There are also no reports suggesting the Heat would be interested in Young and I don’t know if they would offer him all of these players.

There has been speculation that the Spurs are pairing Young with Victor Wembanyama, but that is just speculation and according to a report from Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Spurs may not be very interested in acquiring Young, at least not for the moment:

“The San Antonio staff would be committing professional misconduct in not considering the opportunity to pair a league leader and big-screen maestro like Young with Wembanyama. The Spurs have thus far approached building around Wembanyama as an intriguing experiment, where they will weigh all kinds of variables around their rookie of the year. However, according to several figures around the league with knowledge of the situation, the Spurs’ maneuvering plans to bring Young to San Antonio have been greatly overestimated. expressed little interest in getting Young to date.

Fischer then mentioned the Lakers as a possible destination for Young, something that has been rumored for some time.

“Young’s place in the pecking order of available talent this offseason has been a predominant question that league staff are discussing throughout this harvest week. The Lakers, for example, are a team that is interested in Young after Los Angeles held trade discussions with Atlanta over Dejounte Murray in February, sources say, the Lakers are now armed with three first-round picks to pursue a top talent to pair with James and Davis. , but Los Angeles will have to consider other options before committing any type of capital to Young.

Interestingly, the Spurs are reportedly not interested in bringing in Young. The fit seems logical, as Young is one of the best offensive creators in the NBA and he would create an excellent pick-and-roll team with Wembanyama. Wembanyama is already one of the best defensive players in the league and would help cover up the weaker part of Young’s game. Additionally, the Spurs control the Hawks’ draft picks, meaning Atlanta could attempt to rebuild if they can get them back.

This promises to be an interesting offseason in Atlanta and getting the No. 1 pick only adds a layer of interest around what the Hawks could do this offseason.