The Atlanta Hawks have a plan for how they want to build their team, and while it isn’t as aggressive as the Sixers’ Process, their goals are to build slowly and use their immediate cap space to absorb bad contracts in order to acquire more assets for the future.
Earlier this summer, they took on Allen Crabbe’s expiring contract from the Nets to get the 17th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft for Taurean Prince, eating a significant amount of money, but they used that pick to help move up to No. 4 on draft night to take De’Andre Hunter. In that deal, they took on Solomon Hill’s expiring contract, showing they’re not afraid of eating expiring money for future flexibility and assets.
On Monday, the Hawks once again were active on the trade market as they and Blazers have reportedly agreed to a trade that will send Kent Bazemore to Portland and Evan Turner to Atlanta.
Portland is trading Evan Turner to Atlanta for Kent Bazemore, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2019
Cap neutral deal for Blazers and Hawks. Portland acquires a wing in Bazemore who'll provide an insurance policy on free agent Rodney Hood. Hood's market value exceeds Portland's ability to keep him using the taxpayer MLE. https://t.co/V1XXBYubmy
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2019
It seems to just be a player swap, as both make nearly the same amount next year and then will become restricted free agents. Neither player has fully lived up to his deal from the summer of 2016, but Bazemore will give Portland some more versatility on the wing and another more helpful defender. The Blazers’ cap situation limited what they could do to improve upon last year’s squad, but this is an upgrade for them.
The Hawks, meanwhile, get a veteran that is better suited to playing the three, a spot they’re looking at having two rookies in right now, and will still have plenty of cap flexibility for the summer of 2020 since Turner is an expiring.
