Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[omahen]

I figure that the AD-to-ATL trade ideas are dead now, but there's possibly some now-or-never urgency for ATL because the KP salary as a trade match for AD is gone once we get to the summer.

In thinking about that, I was fiddling with the numbers using the observation upthread that maybe OO and R are not in ATL's future plans (so, to ATL, they are spare parts, and they might be contracts THEY want to move as much as we want to move ones like Martin, Hardy, and DAR). It's also possible the Hawks could see past the injury-of-the-day for AD and decide they would rather get him in March or so, for their unwanted parts, rather than not at all.

If so (yes, iffy, but also possible), then here's a trade where the numbers work AND it fits all the info, AND both teams get the benefit of clearing unwanted salaries from their roster:
AD, DAR, Hardy, Martin
KP, OO, Ris, Kennard

It's a roster balanced 4-for-4 (which both teams need), both teams are able to send out a couple of unwanted players, and ATL stays under the tax line (there are lots of ideas being floated that are CBA-legal, but leave ATL paying tax, and I believe "no tax" is a MAJOR gotta-have for the Hawks).

The numbers also work if it's expanded to a 5-for-5 by each team adding smaller salaries like Powell, Exum, Newell, Wallace, etc in a way they feel is fair value, or it could be shrunk to a 3-for-3 by removing Martin and Kennard that still keeps ATL from paying tax (it's tight).

In addition (and important, I think), it keeps both teams in good shape cap-wise going forward. And maybe this helps ATL additionally (as well as DAL) so that ATL is even more eager to deal.

Would I still be asking for NO #1 and a future protected 1st? Yes, of course. But if ATL wanted to do the 4-for-4 (or bigger, such as adding Powell and Newell to the swap), then I feel that gives suitable incentive to negotiate on the pick(s) details, and I see ways to do that. Such as: 
[a] maybe adding protections on the NO pick part, so that if it is top ___, ATL gets it and the Mavs get CLE 2026 plus a future unprotected #1, definitely unprotected if ATL is getting the sure thing of a top ___ pick in 2026, or 
[b] making the 2026 pick to DAL be "the better of NO/DAL" instead of an outright pick, which means ATL is assured of getting a good pick anyhow.

 

There is a huge difference between an unwanted salary and a player that might not be part of the vision of the future. Hardy and Martin barely play and when they do they are not really good. DAR doesn't play at all. ZR and OO are starters and they put up solid numbers, definitely totally in line with their contracts. I really don't understand how you can put these contracts in an equal quality basket. 

Atlanta will never take all Mavs trash for injured AD. And even add picks to the deal. That train has left the station.