In the NBA, we have often seen deals that involve multiple teams, and during those deals, we have sometimes seen star-level players get moved. Those deals are generally hard to orchestrate, but also, those deals can often get multiple teams what they need to improve their team.
In this article, we will cover a trade scenario that involves the Hawks, Knicks, and Pelicans and one that could potentially help every team involved. The deal will involve multiple big-name players like Julius Randle and John Collins moving teams. Here is the hypothetical trade scenario.
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Julius Randle, No. 8 Pick (via NOP)
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: John Collins, No. 16 Pick (via ATL)
New York Knicks Receive: Jaxson Hayes, Kira Lewis, Devonte Graham, 2024 Second-Round Pick (NOP)
Hawks Get A Solid Power Forward And A Lottery Pick
The Atlanta Hawks have disappointed this season after an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in the 2021 playoffs. There’s no doubt that the franchise needs to make some changes to build around superstar point guard Trae Young.
It was previously reported that the Atlanta Hawks were interested in acquiring a lottery pick in this draft, by trading John Collins. It makes sense that they would want to move into the lottery to find a high-level prospect to put next to Trae Young.
“League sources say the Hawks are looking to add a lottery pick either by outright trading John Collins or also including this selection. One of the teams they’ve had talks with is Portland.”
This trade would get the Atlanta Hawks the lottery pick that they desire, as well as a power forward in Julius Randle that could potentially fit the void left by moving John Collins.
Julius Randle wasn’t necessarily a fantastic player this year, but he still managed to put up 20.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 5.1 APG this season, albeit inefficiently. He would potentially do well on the Atlanta Hawks due to the easy baskets he would get off of Trae Young’s playmaking. Being a No. 2 scoring option behind Trae Young would also put less pressure on him offensively, which is different from his situation with the New York Knicks currently.
The lottery pick acquired by the Atlanta Hawks is at No. 8. There are a variety of players that they could potentially pick at that position to complement Trae Young. Dyson Daniels in particular could be a solid pickup for them if they had the No. 8 pick, as he is a multi-positional defender and solid playmaker that would fit well as a backcourt partner for Trae Young in the future.
Overall, this deal would allow the Atlanta Hawks to add talent while moving a player in John Collins that they have been looking to move for a while. This deal gives them a No. 2 scoring option for Trae Young, while also letting them move up in the draft to select a talented prospect.
Pelicans Get A Big Man That’s A Good Fit With Zion Williamson And Brandon Ingram
The New Orleans Pelicans will likely be in win-now mode after Zion Williamson returns next season. That means that they will need to convert some of their more raw prospects into players that can contribute to wins immediately.
In this trade scenario, the New Orleans Pelicans would be getting a great big man in John Collins, while also moving down in the draft to the No. 16 pick. They would be moving Jaxson Hayes, Kira Lewis, and Devonte’ Graham along with a 2nd round pick in this hypothetical deal. This would allow them to get a win-now contributor in Collins while also still being able to select a prospect, who in theory, would also be a win-now player.
On the New Orleans Pelicans, John Collins would fit like a glove offensively. Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are both poor shooters from range, and adding John Collins would help with spacing as he is a career 37.6% 3PT shooter.
Collins would also give the Pelicans a more athletic option big man option than Jonas Valanciunas. That athleticism would open up things for the team offensively, as he would give them a legitimate lob threat, and he is a better defender than Jonas Valanciunas as well. While obviously in this scenario it would be up to Willie Green’s discretion on who would start at the center position, John Collins would likely close games due to his defense and ability to shoot from range consistently.
The No. 16 pick would obviously be used to pick up a prospect, likely a shooter. Overall, this deal would allow the New Orleans Pelicans to move two prospect players to a rebuilding team, along with Devonte Graham and a second-round pick to acquire a great big man and retain a draft pick to have a contributor on a cheap contract.
Knicks Get A Solid Trade Package For The Future
It is no secret that Julius Randle has had a subpar season with the New York Knicks, and his play was far from the All-Star level that he showed during the 2020-21 season. This trade would allow the New York Knicks to move him and his large contract, while also getting some solid prospects in return.
Center Mitchell Robinson will be a free agent in the offseason, and this move would give the New York Knicks a replacement center in Jaxson Hayes. Hayes has shown some flashes of what he could be during the season, and he has elite athleticism and is a decent shot blocker. He also shot 61.6% from the field which shows his efficiency, and he has shown that he has some shooting potential, as he shot 35.1% from the 3PT range, albeit on extremely low volume.
Kira Lewis is a player that has had tough injury luck, tearing his ACL last season. However, prior to that he showed some ability to handle the ball and finish at the rim. Perhaps in the right role on the Knicks, he could develop into a solid point guard, and as a rebuilding team, they definitely would definitely have the minutes to give him.
Devonte’ Graham’s contract would be the salary filler in this trade, and after the year he had with the New Orleans Pelicans, a change in scenery could be helpful. The New York Knicks could also trade him later down the line. In this scenario, the New York Knicks would also get a 2nd round pick as a sweetener.
Overall, this deal would give the New York Knicks some prospects in exchange for a player on a bad contract. This would allow them to add more players to their young core, and perhaps they could be a good playoff team in the future.
