The Atlanta Hawks have been one of the busier teams this offseason, as they've acquired more talent that should help them improve from last season. Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort are just some of the names that they've traded for, and there's no doubt they make the Hawks better with what they can bring on the court, as well as their championship experience with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Even with the talent the Hawks have added, it doesn't seem like they're done trying to make the team better. ESPN's Shams Charania recently offered an update on Peyton Watson, who is a restricted free agent, and the Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers were the three teams that were rumored to have interest in the Denver Nuggets' forward.
Watson has made a jump every season he's been in the league, and this past season, he averaged 14.6 points per game while shooting 41.1% from the 3-point line. Not only that, but he's a solid defender due to his size, and it's no surprise that teams are interested in him.
For the Hawks, he would be a forward who could instantly make an impact on the team, and he would fit perfectly into what they're doing. As easy as it is to fit him into the system, it's going to be hard to actually get him on the team.
Hawks have a hard path to acquire Peyton Watson
If the Hawks really wanted to sign Watson, they would have to do some roster configuration. With over 15 players already on the team, there would have to be some more trades, or someone would have to be cut.
The Hawks could try to work out a sign-and-trade with the Nuggets, but they're not looking to bring back any salary, which is the biggest reason why they haven't signed Watson themselves. That means a third team would have to get involved, and the Hawks would most likely offer players such as Buddy Hield or Corey Kispert, two players who probably won't see much playing time next season with how the roster is currently constructed.
In all honesty, the Bucks and Clippers might have the easiest routes to acquire Watson, but Onsi Saleh has shown in the past year that he's not afraid of making a deal. It'll be interesting to see how everything plays out as the offseason continues and if the Hawks try to put themselves in a better position to land him.
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