The One Player Most Likely to Be Moved by the Atlanta Hawks

Who is the one player on the Atlanta Hawks who is most likely to be traded?

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

We are one day away from the bell ringing and then trades being put on hold until the summer. There have been a flurry of transactions in the league this week and things could get wilder as the deadline comes in.

Atlanta has made two of the deals ahead of the deadline. The headliner was the trade that sent Trae Young to the Wizards for Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum and then this past Sunday, they sent Vit Krejci to the Portland Trail Blazers for Duop Reath and a pair of second round picks.

The Hawks have been mentioned frequently in trade conversations leading up to the deadline, but which player could be moved next?

Kristaps Porzingis

Jan 2, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (8) looks to post up against New York Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It should come as no surprise, but the Hawk that is most likely to get traded next is Kristaps Porzingis.

Porzingis was the Hawks big offseason acquisition, but due to his lack of availability, he has not been able to lead the Hawks to the top of the Eastern Conference like the team had hoped. That is not to say that he has not been good when he has been on the floor, but he just has not been available often. Case in point, he was made available to play for the first time in nearly a month yesterday against the Miami Heat, but was then ruled out an hour before tipoff.

Porzingis is a useful trade piece because he has a $30.1 million expiring salary and could help the Hawks facilitate a big deal for a player, as either the main recipient or as a third team.

For example, the Hawks have been the team that has been the most linked to Anthony Davis and if they wanted to get a deal done with Dallas, they would certainly have to move Porzingis in the deal.

Just because he might be the most likely Hawk to be dealt does not guarantee that he is going to be dealt. He has been useful for the Hawks on the rare occasion he is able to play and because he is expiring, they could just keep him and then have space this summer to fill their team out.

Honorable mention- Luke Kennard

Like Porzingis, Kennard has an expiring contract and could be moved to a team that needs shooting or he could be combined with Porzingis if the Hawks are making a big move. He has been playing very well lately, but has not been a great playoff player due to his defense and he had a really tough start to the year. I think it is more likely that if Kennard is dealt, it is with Porzingis but he could be moved by himself.