NBA rumors: Could Atlanta Hawks pursue Nick Young?

The Atlanta Hawks made a big splash in the 2013 offseason when they signed former Utah Jazz big man Paul Millsap.

More from Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks plan on being a major player again this year. That’s why they dealt veteran guard Lou Williams and the 16th-overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, Lucas “Bebe” Nugiera, to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for veteran swingman John Salmons. The final year of Salmons’ contract in the 2014-2015 season is worth $7 million, but he can be bought out for just $1 million and become an unrestricted free agent. The Hawks reportedly plan to do just that.

They are said to be a player for Luol Deng, but there are plenty of other available free agents who could fit what they are looking for.

According to David Aldridge of NBA.com, Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Nick Young would be a good fit in Atlanta.

"He’s not a great rebounder, or defender, or passer. What he does is score. Period. The longer he plays, the more he scores. And that’s a good tool for coach Mike Budenholzer to have at his disposal. Al Horford’s return will help Atlanta’s offensive rating rise from the No. 18 spot it held last season. But so would having someone who can create for himself and who, when hot, is as hard to slow down as anyone.Young didn’t lead the Lakers to many wins last season, but he managed not to tick Kobe Bryant off while he threw up historically bad shots and entertained with all that “Swaggy P” nonsense. If Kobe didn’t throttle him, Young should be able to play for the no-nonsense Coach Bud, and the Hawks shouldn’t feel at all inclined to use more than a quarter of their cap space."

Young averaged a career-high 17.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 43.5% from the field, 38.6% from beyond the arc and 82.5% from the free throw line.

Home/Atlanta Hawks