Are the Atlanta Hawks a Potential Chaos Team this Summer?

The Atlanta Hawks season has been over for quite some time, but they are one of the more intriguing teams that nobody is talking about heading into the offseason.

Most will point to a potential Trae Young trade, but that does not appear likely (for now) and Atlanta may move forward with this core of Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu. If the Hawks decide to do that, they need to improve their bench in a big way this offseason. Due to the NBA's CBA and apron rules, you are going to be seeing a lot more three-team trades between teams so salaries can move around. Atlanta could try to attach themselves to a big deal and add some pieces to their bench if they opt to move forward with this starting five. The Hawks need interior defense, frontcourt depth, shooting, and maybe a backup lead guard/ball handler. This is not a great free agent class to be filling those needs, so could the Hawks look to the trade market?

With two picks in this year's draft, future firsts to trade, and young talent, the Hawks could also be player to make a big move this offseason if they want to accelerate their process. That seems less likely, but it is possible.

When it comes to potential chaos, Bleacher Report's Grant Huges has the Hawks at 18th in the NBA in his latest "Chaos Rankings":

Free Agents: Clint Capela (UFA), Caris LeVert (UFA), Larry Nance Jr. (UFA), Garrison Matthews (UFA), Vit Krejci (NG), Mouhamed Gueye (NG), Dominick Barlow (TO)

Notable Extension Candidates: Trae Young, Georges Niang, Dyson Daniels, Mouhamed Gueye

"A Trae Young trade remains a possibility, particularly if he and the Hawks can’t come to terms on an extension. Considering Young can opt out of his current deal at the end of 2025-26, suitors might not be willing to offer real assets without the assurance that he'll stick around beyond next season.

Atlanta should be encouraged by what it saw from Dyson Daniels, who won this year's Most Improved Player award, and Zaccharie Risacher, who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. Combined with better health for Jalen Johnson next year and another small step forward for projected starting center Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks will have four 25-and-under starters to build around regardless of whether Young is still on the team.

Whoever takes over for former general manager Landry Fields will have to make the call on Young and then determine the franchise’s overall direction accordingly."

Again, the Hawks have the potential to make some moves, but I think they are going to be to improve the team's depth and fix some of their biggest issues, which were interior defense, shooting, and secondary playmaking. Could a big move change that for Atlanta? It could, but depending on who the Hawks decide to hire for the president of basketball operations (if they decide to hire one), Atlanta may just hope for internal improvement while they make moves around the margins.

Let's see what happens.

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