The Hawks are in the eighth seed, with a record of 27-28. The Hawks are incredibly average but have recently been playing well with everyone healthy. However, the Hawks are not contenders with their current roster, so they should be aggressive before the deadline. While I believe the primary issues lie with the coaching staff and front office dysfunction, here are a few ways the Hawks can improve their current roster. 

Trade for a wing scorer that can play defense

This is a hard ask since any contender is in need of a solid 3-and-D type of player. Players like Jae Crowder and Gary Trent Jr. are the types of players the Hawks should trade for. Crowder is a solid defender and floor spacer with lots of playoff experience. Crowder’s veteran presence and playoff experience will help stabilize the Hawks during the regular season and playoffs. The Hawks have had a nasty habit of blowing leads in the fourth quarter, and Crowder can help stabilize the Hawks at the end of games. GTJ is another player on my radar, as he is a solid shooter and defender. GTJ is younger than Crowder but will most likely cost more assets to get him, but he is a phenomenal player that can provide consistent scoring. Trading for 3-and-D players will bolster the Hawk’s defense and add some much-needed shooting that the Hawks are missing. 

Don’t Trade John Collins Just to Trade Him

The Hawks should ONLY trade John Collins if it makes them bump them up a tier. Collins has been solid throughout the season. He is one of the few Hawks that always plays hard and gives a solid effort on both ends of the floor. Collins has also made it clear that he wants to be a Hawk, and trading a guy who has shown love to the city countless times is a bad look. I am a firm John Collins believer, and the system is the problem why Collins is not producing enough offense. If an offer for someone like Kevin Durant arises, I will trade him as that would make the Hawks instant contenders. But other than that, there are a few instances where a John Collin trade makes sense for the Hawks.

Upgrading the Bench and Depth

It is no surprise that the Hawk’s bench and depth are lacking. With the combination of shooting slumps, injuries, and a lack of shooters, the Hawks struggle to compete with other teams. The Hawks have been unable to string a couple of games together with everybody in the line-up. When players are out, the Hawks seem unable to match up with even average teams. The problem of depth is dragging this Hawks team down. Offloading the Holiday brothers for a better scorer or wing can help the Hawks greatly. Trading Bogdonavic can also help with the rotation, as it clears up minutes for AJ Griffin. I am opposed to that idea, as Bogdanovic is one of the few shooters the Hawks have, and trading him away is killing the offense.

The Hawks need to be aggressive in making changes before this trade deadline. While most of the issues the Hawks face are health and management issues, the Hawks need to take advantage of all the players wanting out and salvage the Hawk’s underwhelming season by improving the roster’s firepower.