One Trade That Every Team Should Do
Hawks get: SF Wilson Chandler
Nuggets get: PF/C Elton Brand, Atlanta’s 2016 first-rounder, Atlanta’s 2015 second-rounder
Finances: With a $6.8 million deal this season and a very reasonable $7.2 million team option next year, Chandler represents a very nice contract for the Hawks. Replacing Brand’s expiring $2 million deal with Chandler’s only puts Atlanta at $63 million this season in total salary, which is light years away from the luxury tax at $76.8 million. Even if the Hawks accept Chandler’s team option next year, which they would likely do, that would only bring their grand total up to $46 million for next season, with the only key player to re-sign being PF Paul Millsap. In Atlanta, there are only steals of deals, which is why Chandler fits in so perfectly in that regard.
The Fit: With by far the best record in the East, one could easily make the case that Atlanta doesn’t need to make any moves. And they’d be right. Atlanta doesn’t need to make any moves, but should they make it to the finals and play a team from the brutal Western Conference, the Hawks would be much better off if their starting SF wasn’t DeMarre Carroll with a relative lack of depth behind him. No disrespect to Carroll at all, as his 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1.7 threes, and 1.3 steals a game are very serviceable numbers. However, Atlanta lacks depth behind him, as well as at the power forward position, and could use a combo forward to help this small problem. That’s where Chandler comes in, and at 6’8”, he is capable of playing both spots. It is likely that Chandler wouldn’t start, instead serving as a sixth man behind Carroll and Millsap and as a leader for the Hawks’ second unit. An ego-less player like Chandler is capable of doing just that and this trait would allow him to fit right in with Atlanta’s self-less brand of basketball. His averages of 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 threes per game wouldn’t hurt either, nor does his solid defense. Chandler is certainly a luxury for the Hawks, and it’s one that they can easily afford given their plethora of future draft picks.
Why the other team does it: It’s been no secret that Denver is shopping their veterans, despite how badly their front office seems to want it to be, and the 27 year old is at the top of that list. Acquiring draft picks are the number one priority as the franchise looks to hand the reins over to the younger guys, including PG Ty Lawson, SG Gary Harris, PF Kenneth Faried, C Jusuf Nurkic, and more. Selling Chandler, among others, and adding more draft picks are at the top of the Nuggets’ to-do list, as evidenced by the flipping of C Timofey Mozgov for a pair of second-rounders and Denver’s dismal record. Brand, at 35 and with his best years well behind him, adds little value to this deal. Though the Hawks’ second-rounder may very well be the last pick in the entire draft, and the 2016 pick is likely to be a late one too, Denver gets a lot of value for Chandler here nonetheless.
Hawks get: SF Wilson Chandler
Nuggets get: PF/C Elton Brand, Atlanta’s 2016 first-rounder, Atlanta’s 2015 second-rounder
Finances: With a $6.8 million deal this season and a very reasonable $7.2 million team option next year, Chandler represents a very nice contract for the Hawks. Replacing Brand’s expiring $2 million deal with Chandler’s only puts Atlanta at $63 million this season in total salary, which is light years away from the luxury tax at $76.8 million. Even if the Hawks accept Chandler’s team option next year, which they would likely do, that would only bring their grand total up to $46 million for next season, with the only key player to re-sign being PF Paul Millsap. In Atlanta, there are only steals of deals, which is why Chandler fits in so perfectly in that regard.
The Fit: With by far the best record in the East, one could easily make the case that Atlanta doesn’t need to make any moves. And they’d be right. Atlanta doesn’t need to make any moves, but should they make it to the finals and play a team from the brutal Western Conference, the Hawks would be much better off if their starting SF wasn’t DeMarre Carroll with a relative lack of depth behind him. No disrespect to Carroll at all, as his 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1.7 threes, and 1.3 steals a game are very serviceable numbers. However, Atlanta lacks depth behind him, as well as at the power forward position, and could use a combo forward to help this small problem. That’s where Chandler comes in, and at 6’8”, he is capable of playing both spots. It is likely that Chandler wouldn’t start, instead serving as a sixth man behind Carroll and Millsap and as a leader for the Hawks’ second unit. An ego-less player like Chandler is capable of doing just that and this trait would allow him to fit right in with Atlanta’s self-less brand of basketball. His averages of 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 threes per game wouldn’t hurt either, nor does his solid defense. Chandler is certainly a luxury for the Hawks, and it’s one that they can easily afford given their plethora of future draft picks.
Why the other team does it: It’s been no secret that Denver is shopping their veterans, despite how badly their front office seems to want it to be, and the 27 year old is at the top of that list. Acquiring draft picks are the number one priority as the franchise looks to hand the reins over to the younger guys, including PG Ty Lawson, SG Gary Harris, PF Kenneth Faried, C Jusuf Nurkic, and more. Selling Chandler, among others, and adding more draft picks are at the top of the Nuggets’ to-do list, as evidenced by the flipping of C Timofey Mozgov for a pair of second-rounders and Denver’s dismal record. Brand, at 35 and with his best years well behind him, adds little value to this deal. Though the Hawks’ second-rounder may very well be the last pick in the entire draft, and the 2016 pick is likely to be a late one too, Denver gets a lot of value for Chandler here nonetheless.