Washington Wizards’ shooting guard Bradley Beal could reportedly request a trade before the NBA trade deadline. This is news the Atlanta Hawks should pay close attention to as the team could use a guy like Beal moving forward.
Beal averaged 31.3 points per game last season, helping to lead the Wizards to a 34-38 record and a five game series against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Beal has been a constant for the Wizards since he was drafted in 2012 and has proven to be one of the league's most consistent scorers.
The Hawks are in need of another elite and consistent shooter to go along with Trae Young, and Beal is that guy.
The Hawks should trade one of their young up and coming stars.
Earlier in the week, it came out that the Hawks could reportedly “restart the cycle” on one of their rookie contract players in a trade for a first round pick. While a first round pick is still on the table, it would be better for the Hawks to trade for a star like Beal, who has a track record of scoring consistently.
As great as it would be to keep Cam Reddish, he is the most likely casualty in this trade for Beal. Reddish has a lot of upside, but he was hurt most of last season and his durability could be questioned. He is also a good defender, but with so many rookie contracts on the roster, he seems like the guy most likely to be traded.
Reddish may be a better defender than Beal, but Beal adds much needed offensive firepower to the Hawks, something the team needs if they want to compete with the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers again in the 2021-22 season.
Looking at some of the other young guys on the team, like De’Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter, both of these guys have proven to be important pieces to the team. Hunter is arguably the best defender on the team, while Huerter is arguably the team’s best three-point shooter. These are two guys who are important pieces to the puzzle that the Hawks must keep. Reddish could be a great player, but if the Hawks are going to trade anyone, it seems like he would be the one, which may be the smart decision moving forward.
The 2021 playoffs proved the Hawks need an elite star to go with Young.
Trae Young was a man on a mission in the 2021 playoffs. With exception of one poor performance in game 7 against the 76ers, he dominated the opposing teams. Unfortunately for the Hawks, the team didn’t have another consistent scorer that could help propel the team past the Bucks. The lack of a true number two, or an equal to Young, is the reason the Hawks did not win an NBA title in 2021.
If the team were to trade Reddish for a first round pick, it would be a mistake. But if the team were to trade him in a package for Beal, it could end up being one of the best moves of the 2021 offseason.
A healthy Hawks team in 2021-22 should be among the league’s best teams, and adding Beal would almost certainly propel the team even further. The duo of Young and Beal would bring even more excitement and publicity to the team, and Beal’s leadership could help the younger guys as they continue to improve off of their remarkable regular season and playoff runs.
The Bucks are more than likely going to be the favorites heading into the season, but the Hawks could be one of the favorites coming out of the eastern conference if they are able to acquire Beal.
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