This Trade Deadline Rumor Could Reshape the Atlanta Hawks Future

The Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes may have officially begun.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Antetokounmpo is ready to find a new home, either before next week's trade deadline or during the offseason.

This is going to be a week full of rumors and teams trying to position themselves to get in position to land one of the premier players in the NBA. The Hawks are going to be one of the teams mentioned as a possible destination for Antetokounmpo due to their young talent and because they possess the most valuable draft asset that any team can offer. The Hawks control the 2026 draft pick that is the most favorable of New Orleans and Milwaukee, and that is something that will intrigue the Bucks.

However, the latest reporting and trade deadline rumors from NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein suggest that the Hawks are not going to be a team getting in the mix for the two-time MVP.

Hawks not in the mix?

Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Buck — Jan 19, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) steals the ball against Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5), guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) and forward Jalen Johnson (1) during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

According to Fischer and Stein, the Hawks look like they are going to stay on the path that they are on and not speed things up:

"The early indications are that Atlanta has not joined the Giannis chase and does not intend to.

The Hawks do have control of Milwaukee's picks in the next two drafts but have shown no interest to date in surrendering control of them. The Hawks are likewise said to be unwilling to surrender Jalen Johnson in a theoretical Antetokounmpo deal ... even though Johnson's agent Rich Paul said in one of his recent podcasts that the Milwaukee native is precisely whom the Bucks should target.

League sources say Atlanta continues to explore what moves can be made at this deadline with its $40-plus million in expiring contracts when combining Kristaps Porziņģis and Luke Kennard. And you can never forget that A) the Hawks hosted Antetokounmpo for the only pre-draft workout he conducted on American soil before the Bucks swooped in to select him with the 15th overall pick in 2013 and B) had conversations with Antetokounmpo's agent Alex Saratsis last spring about joining Atlanta's front office.

However ...

Sources say that Atlanta has some level of reservation regarding the skillsets of Antetokounmpo and Johnson and how they would match after trading away Young in early January to make the 24-year-old their new centerpiece."

This is a very reasonable path for the Hawks and the one that I would favor.

If the Hawks wanted to land Antetokounmpo, they would have to trade either Johnson or this year's 2026 Pelicans/Bucks pick, if not both. While Antetokounmpo is one of the league's best players, the Hawks depth would be very hamstrung by a trade like this and leave Atlanta with not a ton of optionality to build around Antetokounmpo.

Being patient is the correct course for the Hawks. Johnson continues to get better, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is on one of the best contracts in the NBA, as are Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu, and the Hawks can add an elite talent in the upcoming draft if they land in the top three. Combine that with the upcoming flexibility and cap space the Hawks will have with the expiring contracts of Porzingis, Kennard, CJ McCollum, and Keaton Wallace, Atlanta has a very nice path to becoming a contending team soon.

Not getting in the mix for Antetokounmpo is the right move for the Hawks and helps reshape their future.

Hawks not in the mix?

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