As the Feb. 18th NBA trade deadline quickly approaches, trade rumors concerning three Atlanta Hawks have been flying, starting in late January.
Jan. 27th
Hawks rumors began with reports that point guard Jeff Teague, 27, would join the trade market. Rumor has it that it all has something to do with the fact that point guard Dennis Schroder, 22, has proven to be a viable option for the Hawks with a lot of potential. While the Hawks are not trying to trade him, they are not entirely opposed to the idea, especially if the right offer arises.
Jan. 29th
Just two days later, the Boston Celtics expressed interest in both Jeff Teague and center Al Horford, 29. However, the cost of Horford may be out of range for the Celtics, not to mention he is also in the final year of his deal.
Feb. 2nd
By Feb. 2nd, rumors surfaced that although the Hawks can undoubtedly offer soon to be free agent Al Horford the best deal, him exploring his options is not entirely out of the question. Horford, a key component of the team, is not a player that Atlanta would want to see go. After nine years with the Hawks, Horford is in a good place. The Hawks dealing him, or him deciding to go elsewhere, would come as a major surprise.
Feb. 9th
The Hawks continued to explore their options further by Feb. 9, not only with Horford and Teague, but by then throwing shooting guard/small forward Kyle Korver, 34, into the trading mix. The Cleveland Cavaliers expressed interest in Korver; that’s not to say that the Hawks would consider dealing him or that the Cavs would be able to offer the best deal either. Regardless, the Cavs have referred to him as their “dream target,” which definitely generates some speculation.
Furthermore, that same day, the Indiana Pacers also inquired about Teague, offering up guard George Hill as their potential candidate for a swap. Next, the Orlando Magic joined the conversation, expressing interest in both Teague and Horford.
Feb. 11th
By Feb. 11, the Magic came up with a specific swap: Jeff Teague for shooting guard Victor Oladipo. Oladipo, 23, would provide younger talent to add to the Hawks roster, while Teague could potentially be the star player the Magic is in search of.
Feb. 15th
For a few days after the Teague-Oladipo discussion, rumors concerning the Hawks seemed to subside. That was until Feb. 15, when talk that the Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard expressed interest in going to Atlanta. An Atlanta native, Howard explained that he would like to return home if he were to be traded. A swap has been discussed concerning Howard to Atlanta in exchange for Teague and center/power forward Tiago Splitter.
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While Teague, Horford, and Korver have all been subjects of discussion, no actual trades have been made. With just a couple of days left until the trade deadline, the fate of these Hawks remains in the air.