Hawks Trade Negotiations Could Knock All-Star Out Nest

LaVine, 30, is a scoring-minded wing who arguably had his best season in 2024-25. In 74 games, the two-time All-Star averaged 23.3 points and 4.2 assists per game, shooting 44.6 percent from 3. However, he’s not the most reliable player in terms of defense or durability.

Sabonis, 29, is a super savvy big man who can get triple-double any game. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged 19.2 points, 13.3 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. He’s not the greatest defender either though, largely due to athletic limitations.

Replacing Young with either would’ve likely led to Dyson Daniels shifting to point guard, his natural position. In LaVine’s case, the biggest benefit would be better 3-point shooting. LaVine is a career 39.1 percent 3-point shooter whereas Young is a career 35.2 percent 3-point shooter. In Sabonis’s case, the most fascinating aspect is the ability to play through him as a fulcrum.

Orlando Magic

If the Kings trade for Garland, or he stays with the Cavs, the Orlando Magic will presumably be down a target. To that point, there are rumors that Orlando and Cleveland put together the framework of a trade headlined by Garland and Jalen Suggs. With that in mind, the Magic could pivot to Young if negotiations with the Cavaliers fail.

If so, Suggs will likely still be on the table, allowing the Hawks to have perhaps the best point-of-attack defense in the NBA. However, due to Young’s ability to generate points, Atlanta could aim even higher. In this case, that means going after Franz Wagner. In 2024-25, the 2021 No. 8 pick averaged 24.2 points and 4.7 assists per game.