Having gone 5-5 over their last 10 games, the Atlanta Hawks are a decidedly average team right now. This won’t prevent them from making a playoff push, as they’re currently 10th in the Eastern Conference standings and just 3.5 games behind the sixth-place Philadelphia 76ers. However, to get over the hump, they may need to make a huge trade.
“Numerous rival executives have been whispering about (Jaren) Jackson all season,” The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer reports, “trying to whisper into existence, perhaps, that the 26-year-old would seek an exit. One inevitably wonders whether teams like Toronto and Atlanta, previously confirmed suitors for Dallas’ Anthony Davis, will attempt to test Memphis’ resolve for keeping Jackson…”
Will Hawks Zero-In On $240 Million Trade Target Jaren Jackson Jr?
Last summer, the Hawks were proactive during the free agency period. Having missed the playoffs for the second straight season, they bolstered their rotation by completing a sign-and-trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for defensive menace Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The next day, they were able to add former All-Star center Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team trade. On the heels of that move, the Hawks then signed sharpshooter Luke Kennard to a one-year contract.
Out of those three players, Porzingis would be the most disappointing.
To put it bluntly, Porzingis is the Hawks’ best two-way center. He’s a far better rim-protector than Onyeka Okongwu, who has become a featured player in Atlanta’s offense. He’s a much more effective scorer than Mo Gueye, who has proven himself to be one of their top defenders.
Looking at his numbers, Porzingis has averaged at least 17 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block per game every season since 2016-17. At 7-foot-2, he’s converted 36.8% of his 3s over the past seven seasons. However, his lack of availability undermines his dynamic skillset and diminishes his value. This season, he’s only been healthy for 17 of Atlanta’s 47 games, the Hawks going 9-8 in those contests.
More than any other reason, this is what’s driving Atlanta’s attention towards other teams’ big men.
Atlanta’s Not Lacking For Options
It’s just the Hawks’ luck that Dallas Mavericks forward-center Anthony Davis injured his hand when they were gathering momentum for a trade. In the aftermath, they may have pivoted to Mavs center Daniel Gafford, who’s causing opponents to shoot -12.0 percent below their season average within six feet of the rim. Yet, there are actually several bigs with above-average interior defense that could be attainable before Feb. 5.
Under-the-radar options include the likes of Gafford, Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III, and Detroit Pistons forward-center Paul Reed. Full-time starters such as Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl and Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac are considered available for the right price. However, if Atlanta wants a player more like Davis –a hybrid big man who can score in volume, inside and outside, while protecting the paint –Memphis Grizzlies forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr. (also known as “JJJ” or “Trip”) is the right call.
Over the past five seasons, Jackson has averaged 19.7 points and 2.0 blocks per game, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. In that time, he’s made 34.4% of his 3s; a respectable number for a big. He’s rather passive on the boards despite being 6-foot-10 and 242 pounds, putting him closer to Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner than Davis. Nevertheless, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels are above-average rebounders for their position, helping to nullify that weakness.
Why A Trade For JJJ Is Unlikely
Even with Jackson set to be paid $240 million through 2029-30, there’s a strong argument that he’s a rational trade target for the Hawks. Simply put, he’s more likely to be on the court than Porzingis. He’s a better interior defender than Okongwu. He’s not an anemic scorer like Gueye.
Nevertheless, though the likelihood of attaining Jackson is a non-zero, it’s low. He doesn’t want to leave Memphis and the Grizzlies don’t have much impetus to trade him at this point. As a result, Atlanta wants to put one of their best assets –Johnson, Daniels, or the 2026 first-round pick they’re getting from the New Orleans Pelicans –on the table, it’s a hard sell.
Their Best Assets Are Off The Table
In reality, trading Johnson for Jackson would potentially be fruitless. Johnson’s not only the more assertive scorer, he has a well-rounded skillset that makes him easy to build around. A legitimate 2025-26 All-Star candidate, the Hawks were becoming his team even before they traded Trae Young. Speaking of Young, Daniels was already key to Atlanta as a chaos-creating point-of-attack defender. Now he’s Young’s de facto replacement at point guard, adding to his value.
That leaves a 2026 first-round pick that’s projected to be a top-three selection in a loaded draft class. A pick that could bring a franchise cornerstone to the team that holds it. Yet, the only way trading the Pelicans’ 2026 first-rounder for Jackson would make sense for the Hawks is if they don’t believe they can acquire a more promising player than him with it. That’s unlikely to be the case.
Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson, Houston freshman Kingston Flemings and Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. are among those that could become franchise point guards. BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa is a prototypical wing prospect. Duke freshman Cameron Boozer would complement Johnson quite well with his skill and savvy.
Of course, they could hope that a center prospect separates himself from the pack. However, it’s not a necessity. Currently projected to have up to $43.5 million in cap space this offseason, they could foot the bill for a free agent like Georgia native Walker Kessler.
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