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NBA Draft rumors: Blazers leaning no trade, Wizards focus in, Hawks looking to trade up

By Jonathan Lurensky

Jan 30, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) makes his ways to the locker room after a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) makes his ways to the locker room after a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 9, 2023; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Dereck Lively II (1) at the free throw line against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half of the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2023; Greensboro, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Dereck Lively II (1) at the free throw line against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half of the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

NBA Draft rumors: Hawks trying to make move for Lively

According to Marc Stein, the Atlanta Hawks may be looking to trade up for Dereck Lively. The Hawks have the No. 15 overall pick in this year’s draft and will most likely have to trade up to get the player from Duke. It seems like the Hawks are at the very least gonna explore trading John Collins or Clint Capela this offseason. If the Hawks were to trade either, they would need a replacement in the frontcourt.

Lively is a rim-runner that could fit very well, fitting into the Capela mold as a rim-protector, rebounder and vertical spacer. The Hawks are in a very situation where there are trade rumors on basically every key player on the team. Trae Young is seen as a player that could request a trade in the not-too-distant future.

This team also does not want to pay the luxury tax. In addition to all of this, the Hawks are in the middle of a power struggle in the front office. This is a team that thinks that made a trade last offseason with the assumption for the future. After one year, they were unable to keep to that plan.

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