Atlanta Hawks’ perfect move in 2025 NBA offseason

The Hawks may not have controlled their first-round pick in this year’s draft, seeing it go to the San Antonio Spurs courtesy of the Dejounte Murray trade in 2022, but they still had another first-rounder at their disposal thanks to the Kevin Huerter deal. This Sacramento Kings pick ended up being the 13th overall selection after Sacramento flamed out in the play-in for the second consecutive season.

Little did the Hawks know that this was the stroke of luck that was going to lead to an incredible turn of events courtesy of the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans, out of desperation, traded up 10 spots to select Derik Queen, and in the process, the Pelicans gave the Hawks the better pick out of theirs or the Milwaukee Bucks in 2026 (unprotected).

It even got to a point where, according to rumors, the Hawks front office had to double check with the Pelicans that this was, indeed, a trade that they were willing to pull off. And one could even make the argument that the player the Hawks picked, Asa Newell, might be more impactful in the long run than Queen would be due to him being more athletic and more positionally versatile.

For the Pelicans to trust themselves or the Bucks to this degree appears to be asinine, and the Hawks are simply happy to be the recipient of some very good fortune.

New Orleans is a snakebitten franchise; they have such rotten luck on the injury front, and it’s not quite clear if the moves they made this offseason are enough to make them a legitimate playoff team in the West. One injury to Zion Williamson, and perhaps another to Trey Murphy III, all while Dejounte Murray is still rehabbing from a torn Achilles, and the Pelicans are toast.

But even if all things go right for the Pelicans, they will also need all things to go according to plan for the Bucks. Milwaukee was very desperate, as evidenced by their waive-and-stretch maneuver on Damian Lillard to create the space to sign Myles Turner.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is an MVP-caliber player, but everything hinges on him. Should he be out for four to six weeks with, say, a severe ankle sprain or a hamstring injury, disaster will ensue for the Bucks.

The Hawks need just one of the Pelicans or Bucks to crap the bed in the 2025-26 season, and there is a real chance that one of those teams does. This was a pick that the Pelicans could have given up to move higher in the draft. But they have to thank their lucky stars that the Pelicans desperately wanted Queen and that he was still on the board at 13, prompting a bonkers move from New Orleans’ front office.

Atlanta pulls off low-risk trade for Kristaps Porzingis

Everyone in the NBA knew that the Celtics were going to dump some salary in an attempt to get under the second apron, viewing the 2025-26 season as a gap year of sorts amid Jayson Tatum’s injury. This then paved the way for the Hawks to acquire Porzingis in a trade that did not even require them to give up much.

All the Hawks gave up to bring Porzingis in was Georges Niang, Terance Mann, and the 22nd overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. Niang and Mann are bench players at best, with Mann even making a total of $47 million over the next three seasons. The 22nd overall pick of this year’s draft, Drake Powell, could end up being a key player for the Brooklyn Nets, but Atlanta got their guy anyway in Newell with the 23rd pick they got from the Pelicans.

Acquiring Porzingis doesn’t come without its fair share of risks. He was very unwell during the 2025 NBA playoffs, and it’s not quite clear if this mystery illness will have any lingering effects. But Porzingis is one of the best stretch-fives in the NBA, a legitimate rim protector who can launch three-point bombs from the logo.

Porzingis may not be the best rebounder, but he’s an incredible fit alongside Johnson in the Hawks’ frontcourt — with the two about to feast on all the open looks Young is about to create for everyone.

Keeping Porzingis healthy will be crucial for the Hawks, and at the very least, they have Onyeka Okongwu on the roster, a starting-caliber player who can step up to a bigger role whenever Porzingis needs a breather.

If all else fails, Porzingis is going to be a free agent in 2026, so if it doesn’t work out with the Hawks, then they could simply choose not to re-sign him.