3 trade-back proposals for the Hawks if No. 1 pick is available

The Atlanta Hawks won the NBA Draft Lottery with three percent odds, going from the Play-In Tournament to the No. 1 pick in a matter of days. It's a tremendous opportunity for a franchise in flux. It's clear the Hawks are trying to figure out the right direction after years of aimlessness. Surely the top pick — even in a weak draft — can aid that pursuit.

According to the latest scuttlebutt around the league, however, the Hawks aren't married to the No. 1 pick. There's a chance Atlanta could trade back, with UConn 7-footer Donovan Clingan drawing eyeballs in the Hawks' front office, per Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports.

"Sources also say Clingan not only worked out, but made an impression while doing so, fueling rumors of a potential trade down where they could target the big man and add another draft asset."

If the Hawks are locked on Clingan, there's a good chance he is available a few spots back in the draft. Atlanta can also look to move back even further, in theory. The difference in value between the No. 1 pick and a mid-first round pick has seldom been slimmer. If Atlanta wants to accumulate assets and take multiple bites at the proverbial apple, now is the time.

With the San Antonio Spurs working out potential top pick Zaccharie Risacher, there is a lot of steam behind the concept of Atlanta trading back. Here are a few viable trades that actually accomplish that goal, helping the Hawks get the most bang for their buck.

3. Hawks trade No. 1 pick to Pistons for No. 5 pick, Jaden Ivey

The Hawks essentially use the No. 1 pick to dump the De'Andre Hunter salary and acquire Jaden Ivey from the Detroit Pistons. There are layers to this trade, as this would all but guarantee that one of Atlanta's All-Star guards is dealt later in the offseason (it should be Dejounte Murray, for the record). Ivey steps into the backcourt in a prominent role with a coach who embraces him, unlike Monty Williams in Detroit. That is a second lottery-level talent for Atlanta in addition to the No. 5 pick.

Again, there frankly isn't a huge difference in value between No. 5 and No. 1 in this draft. The Pistons pay a premium for more optionality and add a useful 3-and-D forward in Hunter, who certainly coheres with the current core more cleanly than Ivey did. Hunter can space the floor, attack closeouts, and supply versatile defense on the wing. His arrival (and Ivey's subsequent departure) also opens up more room for Ausar Thompson to explore his playmaking ceiling.

Atlanta (ideally) pairs Ivey's rim pressure and secondary creation with Trae Young's pick-and-roll expertise. Ivey needs to boost his 3-point numbers, but joining a more consistent offense led by a playmaker of Young's caliber should help in that regard. He would need to improve defensively, but Ivey has all the tools for success — listed 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. He can share the floor with a small guard, like Young.

The Hawks should be able to land Clingan at No. 5, assuming there isn't a mild shock near the top of the board. The Pistons would presumably target either Zaccharie Risacher or Alex Sarr, although Reed Sheppard is a particularly swell fit. Especially with Ivey out of the picture.

2. Hawks trade No. 1 pick to Blazers for two lottery picks

The Portland Trail Blazers fell just shy of the Victor Wembanyama pick last summer. Why not move up to No. 1 in 2024? Well, there is a strong argument for keeping two lottery picks over one lottery pick. That said, if Portland has its sights set on the crème de la crème — Alex Sarr or Zaccharie Risacher — the Blazers have the ammo to pull it off.

There could be a couple spare parts tossed in on both sides to correct any perceived imbalance, but the logic behind this swap is simple. The Hawks opt for volume in a weak draft, ideally landing Clingan at No. 7 and a talented two-way wing in the No. 14 slot (Ron Holland, in a dream world). Portland goes all-in on the top pick in an effort to land a real difference-maker at a position of need.

Portland has a ton of guard talent between Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe. The frontcourt needs more work, however, and the Blazers' wing rotation is sorely lacking. The top prospects in this draft — at least in terms of the consensus — address Portland's needs outright. If the Blazers wait until No. 7 or No. 14, however, the front office could find itself inclined to reach for lesser talent at a position(s) of need.

We are, of course, talking about possibilities here. Not necessarily what Portland should do. The Blazers are also said to be interested in Clingan, so perhaps the Blazers sit tight and let the UConn 7-footer fall into their lap instead. There's no real motivation to trade up unless Portland a) believes Clingan goes earlier than No. 7 or b) is more interested in Sarr or Risacher, one of the names floating at the top of draft boards.

Few teams are better equipped to swing a draft-night blockbuster than the Blazers. If there's a real compulsion to move up, we cannot rule it out.

1. Hawks trade No. 1 pick to Spurs for No. 4 pick, Jeremy Sochan

The Spurs could follow the same blueprint as the Blazers and simply trade their two lottery picks — No. 4 and No. 8 overall — in exchange for No. 1 and the right to select Zaccharie Risacher. We know the Spurs are interested in the French teenager, who has an inherent connection to Wembanyama. San Antonio traditionally scouts the international waters as well as any team, and the Spurs really need 3-and-D help on the wing. The dots are easy to connect. There's a reason Risacher, widely projected as a top-two pick, worked out for the Spurs.

If the Hawks decide to take advantage, the No. 4 pick is a must (Clingan won't fall to No. 8), in addition to extra sweetener. The Spurs get to take a flier on Atlanta's 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin, but the Hawks land Jeremy Sochan. That is a needle-moving addition — the sort of connective wing Atlanta needs to bring the roster together.

It's hard to imagine the Hawks trading both star point guards this summer. We can safely assume that Atlanta still wants to win games next season, unless the Spurs are willing to trade the Hawks' their own future picks back. San Antonio controls Atlanta's drafts from 2025 through 2027 due to the Dejounte Murray trade (yikes!), so the Hawks cannot rebuild outright. That means any trade return should be aimed at building around a dynamic lead guard.

The Spurs tried Sochan as a jumbo-sized point guard next to Victor Wembanyama this summer and it was a frequent disaster. So bad, in fact, that it probably tainted Sochan's reputation for reasons not entirely within his control. The reality is that Sochan is a limited but highly impactful role player. When he isn't deployed as a lead creator, he's able to wreak havoc as a defender, set screens, pass out of the short roll, and collect easy finishes in the paint.

There is some overlap with Jalen Johnson, but the Hawks should embrace two skilled, dynamic 6-foot-9 forwards — not run away from it. Sochan has a ton of room to grow at 21 years old, and Atlanta can still land its ideal prospect in the No. 4 spot. This is a major win.