Atlanta Hawks trade deadline addition Caris LeVert is poised to hit free agency after a short tenure in Atlanta. The team has made its intention to retain the scorer clear in a recent report. The organization seeking a reunion comes as a bit of a surprise when you consider the up-and-down nature of LeVert. It would make far more sense for the team to look at adding a far more established player. It is clear that building around Trae Young isn't enough to win an elusive championship. This isn't a slight to the talented point guard, but the reality of a strong Eastern Conference.
LeVert is a solid scoring option that the team needs off the bench. However, if spending the money to re-sign the veteran is going to prevent any bigger moves, it isn't worth the cap space. Atlanta's focus should be on shedding the contracts of Terance Mann and Georges Niang, working to set the team up to make a splashy addition.
The Hawks Cannot Continue to Settle for Mediocrity in the 2025 Offseason
The contracts of Niang and Mann were both taken on a part of Atlanta's attempts to shed regrettable contracts at this year's trade deadline. It is time to continue this process and move two pieces that don't fit what the organization is attempting to build. While LeVert does fit the organization, it makes sense only if you're going to shed other pieces to create the needed cap space to chase the top pieces in the trade and free agent markets.
No Hawk should be considered untouchable other than guards Dyson Daniels and Trae Young, who are setting the tone for what the team must build. Everything else must remain in question after another year of frustration resulted in the team missing the playoffs completely. With this in mind, LeVert's scoring is valuable, but only if the team understands the direction it is heading.
It can't be as simple as running it back with the pieces that handed you the 9th seed in the Eastern Conference. Making it clear that any potential re-signing must be part of a larger plan and not a franchise continuing to willingly accept mediocrity.