It appears the Atlanta Hawks won’t be trading Al Horford before the deadline this week.
The NBA trade deadline is less than a week away, but as the rumor mill continues to churn faster and faster, there is a growing list of names that seem unlikely to move. One of the names at the top of that list is Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford.
Horford’s name has been kicked around the rumor mill, but not with any real definitiveness. As it turns out, that lack of stick when his name has been thrown up against the wall will likely result in Horford staying in Atlanta.
According to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, the Hawks aren’t actively shopping Al Horford.
This doesn’t mean that there won’t be a deal made as the Hawks could get an offer they can’t refuse. But as it stands now, it appears as though they’re not looking for such a deal and won’t be interested in one unless it finds them. Horford has been rumored to be getting a max offer from the Hawks this summer when he hits free agency and doesn’t appear to be interested in leaving Atlanta unless something changes.
Atlanta was a series away from the NBA Finals last year and they’re not far off from being back on that track over the course of the next few years. There’s a chance they’re the new Pacers, who get to the Conference Finals but are never good enough to beat LeBron’s team — but that’s a better chance than Horford has with any other team besides Cleveland to compete for a title in the East.