The Atlanta Hawks took a massive step forward this offseason. Thanks to savvy moves by GM Onsi Saleh, the Hawks have pushed themselves into the conversation for the best Eastern Conference team. While the injury concerns around Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Johnson are real, if the Hawks manage to stay healthy, they will be a force to be reckoned with next season.
At the same time, they still need to bolster their frontcourt rotation. Onyeka Okongwu and Porzingis are quality starters (assuming Quin Snyder starts both), but depth behind those two is questionable. There are power forwards on the roster, to be sure, including rookie Asa Newell, recent first-overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, and Johnson, but none of them has proven able to play at center.
This means that the Hawks would be wise to use some of their draft assets to try to acquire Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz.
Hawks Must Target Walker Kessler to Bolster Frontcourt Rotation
What makes Kessler an intriguing option is the fact that he is set to make $4.8 million for next season, making it easy to match salaries in a potential trade. The Jazz already moved on from their valuable contributors like Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and John Collins and fully embraced the tank. They clearly want to bottom out next season to maximize their draft picks, and moving Kessler now instead of having to pay him a lucrative, long-term deal could make some sense.
The Hawks could use Kobe Bufkin as matching salary and include two first-round picks to acquire Kessler. The 23-year-old is an excellent rim protector and could anchor Atlanta's defense, covering for Trae Young's deficiencies on the perimeter. The three-headed monster of Okongwu, Porzingis, and Kessler would give the Hawks one of the deepest and most versatile center rotations in the league, firmly establishing their Eastern Conference contenders status.