It isn't any secret that the Atlanta Hawks have been named as a potential landing spot for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks star has opened the door to trade talks and given Atlanta fans the ultimate hope of pulling the team out of obscurity. The Hawks have remained on the fringes of contention since the team's magical 2021 run. Poor front office decisions and injuries have hampered the roster from reaching its full potential. This demands change, and landing Giannis Antetokounmpo would be the ultimate pivot.
Trae and Antetokounmpo would instantly form one of the league's best duos and become a threat to win the Eastern Conference. With the Boston Celtics' current financial and injury situation, the conference appears suddenly up for grabs. This led to Hawks legend and current team announcer Dominique Wilkins being asked about the rumor in a recent interview.
"“Man, that’s a blockbuster deal right there. Who wouldn’t want Giannis? I’d be lying if I said anything differently. Oh, man, it is a lot you’d have to give up to get a guy like that.”"Dominique Wilkins
The reaction of the Atlanta legend fits exactly how the fan base feels about a deal that simply is too good to be true. For a franchise noted for making the wrong decisions, landing this level of star simply isn't very believable. Still, it is a fun pairing to consider. While the deal would be extremely costly as long as the Hawks kept Trae and Giannis, the team would instantly be among the league's top contenders.
It speaks to the talent of the Bucks star and how unwise the franchise would be to trade one of the best players in the league in his prime. However, this wouldn't be the first time we've seen that decision this year, with the Dallas Mavericks sending Luka to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for a questionable package.
While Atlanta isn't going to get this level of discount, they should actively be exploring every possible avenue to land the star. His potential fit with Trae and the national attention it would bring to Atlanta simply makes the deal far too enticing not to at least reach out and explore.