Atlanta Hawks trade Adreian Payne for future draft pick

The Atlanta Hawks made a small but potentially impactful trade on Tuesday afternoon, sending rookie power forward Adreian Payne to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for a future first round draft pick. Payne was Atlanta’s first round selection in the 2014 NBA Draft, but the former Michigan State standout appeared in only three games with the Hawks while spending a significant portion of his season in the D-League.

In return for Adreian Payne, the Hawks will receive a first round pick from Minnesota, but that selection is heavily protected.

Chris Vivlamore of the AJC reports that Minnesota will only issue the pick to Atlanta if it falls outside of the draft lottery, and if the Wolves fail to make the playoffs in any of the four seasons referenced above, the selection will become a second-round pick.

In terms of the immediate future, this move allows the Atlanta Hawks to free up roster space for a potential run at a free agent. Ray Allen and Gary Neal have been prominently mentioned as available players who could add wing depth for the Hawks, and it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds in the next few weeks.

Adreian Payne is a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the East-leading Hawks will be moving on without him.