Trade Grades
Click here for link to Washington Wizards Trade Grade
Click here for link to New York Knicks Trade Grade
Gave up: #15 pick in draft (turned into SF Kelly Oubre Jr.)
Got: Two future second-rounders, SG Tim Hardaway Jr.
Though PG/SG Jerian Grant was in-between for the Hawks, I will just be grading who Atlanta gave up and what they got in return. SF Kelly Oubre probably shouldn’t have gone 15th overall, as he was more of a top-20 prospect than a top-15 one, but that doesn’t concern the Hawks. For a team that had the best record in the East just last season, the motive of acquiring two future second-rounders is questionable. Although there was a relatively steep drop-off in talent from #14 to #15, simply selecting Wisconsin’s SF Sam Dekker would’ve probably just made more sense here, as Hardaway Jr. is far from an optimal fit in Atlanta.
I liked the idea of trading down for the Hawks, as they clearly weren’t wowed by anyone available at #15, but two future second-rounders is not what this championship-caliber roster needs as they moved down to #19.Oubre Jr. is probably a long-term project, as his ability to contribute right away is minimal. However, he is still anexcellent defender with solid shooting ability. He’s quick and athletic, which give him the potential he needs to become an excellent slasher, although he will need to improve his lackluster ball-handling skills for that. Oubre Jr. never really made sense for Atlanta anyways, but I really don’t like the package that they netted in exchange for him.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is of course the son of an all-time great, and after his impressive rookie campaign, it was looking like he’d follow in his father’s footsteps. He hit 1.6 threes on a blazing 36.2% on them, as part of his 10.8 points per game en route to being named to the All-Rookie First Team. However, he has shown a lack of improvement in year two, actually just plateauing completely, which is alarming. Hardaway averaged 11.5 points and 34.2% shooting from downtown this past season. He’s just 23 years old, so he could still possess some upside, but there is risk that he’ll just level out with the current skillset he has, given his lack of development since his rookie year. He alsodoesn’t really mesh well with Atlanta’s offensive style, as “ball movement” and and “selflessness” aren’t exactly his middle names. It will be interesting to see if he could carve out a role for himself as a spark scorer off the bench in the Hawks’ now crowded backcourt.
To be honest, if you’re going to give up a top-15 pick, you better make sure you get assets that you’d actually want, and players that fit with you well and fill a need. Atlanta got neither. Although this deal is probably a wash for the Hawks, acquiring a risky, ball-dominant, scoring two-guard and future draft picks are the furthest things from filling needs, which Atlanta had both at small forward and up front.
Grade: C+
Click here for link to Washington Wizards Trade Grade
Click here for link to New York Knicks Trade Grade
Gave up: #15 pick in draft (turned into SF Kelly Oubre Jr.)
Got: Two future second-rounders, SG Tim Hardaway Jr.
Though PG/SG Jerian Grant was in-between for the Hawks, I will just be grading who Atlanta gave up and what they got in return. SF Kelly Oubre probably shouldn’t have gone 15th overall, as he was more of a top-20 prospect than a top-15 one, but that doesn’t concern the Hawks. For a team that had the best record in the East just last season, the motive of acquiring two future second-rounders is questionable. Although there was a relatively steep drop-off in talent from #14 to #15, simply selecting Wisconsin’s SF Sam Dekker would’ve probably just made more sense here, as Hardaway Jr. is far from an optimal fit in Atlanta.
I liked the idea of trading down for the Hawks, as they clearly weren’t wowed by anyone available at #15, but two future second-rounders is not what this championship-caliber roster needs as they moved down to #19.Oubre Jr. is probably a long-term project, as his ability to contribute right away is minimal. However, he is still anexcellent defender with solid shooting ability. He’s quick and athletic, which give him the potential he needs to become an excellent slasher, although he will need to improve his lackluster ball-handling skills for that. Oubre Jr. never really made sense for Atlanta anyways, but I really don’t like the package that they netted in exchange for him.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is of course the son of an all-time great, and after his impressive rookie campaign, it was looking like he’d follow in his father’s footsteps. He hit 1.6 threes on a blazing 36.2% on them, as part of his 10.8 points per game en route to being named to the All-Rookie First Team. However, he has shown a lack of improvement in year two, actually just plateauing completely, which is alarming. Hardaway averaged 11.5 points and 34.2% shooting from downtown this past season. He’s just 23 years old, so he could still possess some upside, but there is risk that he’ll just level out with the current skillset he has, given his lack of development since his rookie year. He alsodoesn’t really mesh well with Atlanta’s offensive style, as “ball movement” and and “selflessness” aren’t exactly his middle names. It will be interesting to see if he could carve out a role for himself as a spark scorer off the bench in the Hawks’ now crowded backcourt.
To be honest, if you’re going to give up a top-15 pick, you better make sure you get assets that you’d actually want, and players that fit with you well and fill a need. Atlanta got neither. Although this deal is probably a wash for the Hawks, acquiring a risky, ball-dominant, scoring two-guard and future draft picks are the furthest things from filling needs, which Atlanta had both at small forward and up front.
Grade: C+
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