1 Trade That Makes Too Much Sense For The Atlanta Hawks

This one trade would make a ton of sense for the Atlanta Hawks as we get closer to the trade deadline

Jan 25, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Day'ron Sharpe (20) gets the rebound against Los Angeles Clippers center Brook Lopez (11) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The 2026 NBA trade deadline is nearly a week away.

There has only been one trade so far this season, and it involved the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta sent Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, signaling the end of the Young era in Atlanta and opening up other possibilities for the Hawks.

Just because Young has been dealt, does not mean that the Hawks are going to be done. They have over $70 million in expiring contracts, young players, and draft picks to trade if they wanted to make a big move.

While I don't think there is a move out there that makes the Hawks contenders in the Eastern Conference (even if it was for Anthony Davis or Giannis Antetokounmpo), there are some moves out there that the Hawks could make to strengthen their roster and make them more dangerous if they did make the playoffs.

There is one glaring weakness that the Hawks have had on their roster all season long, and that is at the center position. When the year began, the Hawks looked to have one of the top center duos in the NBA with Kristaps Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu, but Porzingis has been unavailable for much of the year and N'Faly Dante tore his ACL, leaving Atlanta without much size. Christian Koloko has done well since signing a two-way deal, but two-way players can't play in the playoffs. The Hawks either need to convert him to a standard contract or make a deal for another center.

There is one trade that seems rather obvious for the Hawks to make and that is for Brooklyn center Day'Ron Sharpe.

Why Sharpe makes sense

Jan 16, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Day'ron Sharpe (20) is guarded by Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The biggest question for a potential trade for Sharpe is if he is even being made available by Brooklyn. Yes, the Nets have Nic Claxton, but Sharpe is on a better contract and they form a really solid center duo.

If Brooklyn does not think Sharpe is in their long-term plans, even though he has a team option for next season, they could look to move him if the right offer is there. The Hawks should be one of the teams interested as he would solve a big weakness on the Hawks while being on a cheap contract for next season, not to mention he is still a young player.

This season, Sharpe is averaging 6.7 PPG and 5.8 RPG in 18.2 minutes per game. His team is a much better rebounding team with him on the floor, as the Nets are +4.7 ORB% (90th percentile) per Cleaning The Glass. The past two seasons, Sharpe has been a really strong defender, though that has not necessarily been the case.

What would a deal for Sharpe look like? Here is one configuration the Hawks might think about to make Brooklyn part with their young center:

Hawks Receive: Day'Ron Sharpe

Nets Receive: Keaton Wallace, N'Faly Dante, and a 2026 first round pick (Less favorable between Cleveland and Utah)

In a deal like that, the Nets get a 1st round pick, an expiring deal in Wallace, and a young center in Dante who showed promise before his injury.

The Hawks could afford parting with their other first round pick this season in a deal like this. The big man class in the upcoming draft is pretty weak overall, especially where that pick is projected to land. Atlanta can add cheap center depth for their team next season.