The two biggest stars that could be on the move this offseason are Damian Lillard and Pascal Siakam, the latter of which seems to be the Hawks target.
Atlanta has reportedly been the most connected to a potential trade for Toronto’s All-Star; however, there seems to be a roadblock as Raptors GM Masai Ujiri plays hardball to squeeze as much as he possibly can in exchange for Siakam.
It seems there’s a path forward via a third team. NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Hawks have an “increased willingness” to trade Clint Capela, and the Mavericks may be a landing spot.
Stein suggests that Capela could end up in Dallas as part of a three-team deal that would center around Pascal Siakam heading to Atlanta. The Mavs could be there to facilitate that trade since “the Raptors would appear to have little need for a pricey center after re-signing Jakob Poeltl this month to a four-year deal.”
The Mavericks have been targeting Capela all offseason. Around the NBA Draft, the Hawks were attempting to move up in the draft in exchange for Capela, but nothing came to fruition because Atlanta asked for Josh Green in addition to the 10th overall pick.
For the Hawks, the vision is clear — acquire Pascal Siakam. Though moving Clint Capela is just a way to accomplish that goal, it has other impacts on the roster. Most importantly, it opens a hole for Onyeka Okongwu to step into the starting lineup.
CC has been an invaluable defender; anchoring a team is no easy feat with Trae Young on the court. He’s a menace on the boards and is a pick-and-roll threat at the rim, but OO’s ceiling is higher, and it’s past time he sees most of the club’s minutes at center.
It seems the Hawks new-look front office could be nearing their first considerable acquisition.
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