6. Kent Bazemore, Atlanta Hawks
Kent Bazemore is no stranger to trade rumors.
In late July, Kelly Iko of Rockets Wire reported the Houston Rockets were interested in pursuing a trade for Bazemore, who the Atlanta Hawks “would move for the right offer.” A week later, Iko added the Milwaukee Bucks also inquired about a trade for Bazemore, although the “initial trade talks didn’t get very far.”
According to Iko, the Hawks “like Bazemore and see him as a veteran presence during their rebuild,” but general manager Travis Schlenk “wants assets, will always listen to offers” and would take back an undesirable contract if it came packaged with a draft pick and/or a young player. The Hawks are in the early stages of a rebuild and figure to be one of the NBA’s worst teams in 2018-19, which makes a veteran like Bazemore a luxury rather than a necessity.
Bazemore will make nearly $18.1 million this season and has a $19.3 million player option for 2019-20 that he is all but assured to pick up, so finding a taker for a contract that hefty wouldn’t be easy for Atlanta. As such, the Hawks may decide to stand pat and rely on Bazemore as a cultural tone-setter for young prospects such as Trae Young and Taurean Prince.
“He has bought in from day one,” new Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce said about Bazemore, per Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I told him I don’t need you to come in here and bark at guys or try to be all that. We’ve got one legend and that’s Vince [Carter]. They all follow suit. … Everyone else chimes in with Vince and behind Vince. [Bazemore’s] job is to lead as he sees fit.”
Though Bazemore’s years of NBA experience will make him a valued locker room presence in Atlanta, the Hawks should be open for business if a contender sees him as its missing 3-and-D piece. Building around Young, Prince and John Collins is the organization’s top priority moving forward, which makes asset accumulation critical at this phase of the rebuild.