Buyers Or Sellers? What the Atlanta Hawks Plans Should Be Now That Trade Season Has Begun

The Hawks have a case to be buyers at the trade deadline, but is that the path they are going to take?

Dec 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (8) reacts after a basket against the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Welcome to NBA Trade season.

Today, 82 players who signed over the summer became eligible to be traded and trade conversations are sure to pick up before the February 5th deadline. The big names in this trade deadline are going to be Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga and Mavericks forward Anthony Davis. There are other names to know, but those are going to be the three most talked about players over the next month and a half.

One of the most interesting teams is going to be the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta had a big offseason, signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard, trading for Kristaps Porzingis, and drafting Asa Newell, while also picking up the New Orleans Pelicans 1st round pick in next year's draft, which has turned into one of the most prized assets in the NBA. The expiring contracts of Porzingis and Kennard, as well as the draft pick that is owed to Atlanta next summer make them a team that could swing for the fences and make moves.

But should they?

What should Atlanta do?

Oct 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) brings the ball up court against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

It is not just the previous players mentioned, but what will the Hawks do with point guard Trae Young? He can opt out of his current contract after this season and become a free agent, leading to rumors on if the Hawks would shop him and try to move him. He has been injured for nearly this entire season and the Hawks have not been able to see what this team looks like with him.

Zach Harper at The Athletic believes the Hawks should be buyers and aggressively pursuing another star:

"The Hawks have been better this season without Trae Young. Jalen Johnson has emerged as their best player in his absence, and his dynamic play makes you wonder just how high he can ascend. Young and the team have not come to an extension yet (he'll be a free agent in the summer), and it sounds like they won’t. They also have the best trade asset in the NBA with New Orleans’ 2026 unprotected first-round pick. It wouldn’t be shocking if Young was on the move. There were rumors about trying to get him to San Antonio to join Victor Wembanyama before the Fox deal last season. Maybe his play isn’t good enough to galvanize more Young discussions on the trade market, but what if he’s the big name that gets dealt? It could be Atlanta buying to compete by removing their franchise player."

If nothing else, the Hawks need to find ways to upgrade and get bigger in the frontcourt. They hoped that Porzingis would help fix those issues, but his lack of availability puts these issues on the forefront. When the Hawks have faced the Pistons this season, the top team in the Eastern Conference, they are 0-3 and the Pistons size and physicality have bothered them. Does that mean that the Hawks certainly have to trade for Antetokounmpo or Davis? No, but if Porzingis is unavailable, Atlanta should explore its options.

The Eastern Conference seems to be wide open, though Detroit and New York seem to be separating just a little bit over this recetn stretch.

Atlanta should certainly not be sellers and they can try to capitalize on this conference being open. I think taking a swing would be wise if they can have a beneficial deal. Don't expect Atlanta to move either the Pelicans pick or young star Jalen Johnson according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer:

"Any significant trade business that Atlanta does in-season is expected to include the $30.7 million expiring contract held by Kristaps Porziņģis, but the Hawks announced Sunday that the Latvian big man will be sidelined for at least two more weeks as he continues to be plagued by illness after last season's similar woes in Boston. Porziņģis missed seven of the Hawks' previous eight games before the announcement. … Did you catch power agent and budding podcaster Rich Paul, on his new Game Over pod alongside Max Kellerman, advising the Bucks to chase his client Jalen Johnson in a theoretical Giannis trade? "If I'm the Bucks … I'm calling Atlanta," Paul said. "I want Jalen Johnson. He's from Milwaukee." The sense here, mind you, continues to be that Johnson is as untouchable from the Hawks' perspective as the unprotected first-round pick New Orleans has committed to send them in June thanks to the Derik Queen trade."

I think the Hawks are going to be mentioned in big time trade rumors and it would not be shocking to see Porzingis and/or Kennard moved in the deal. I think they are in a position to buy while also not selling their future.