The explanations here are a bit lower quality than I typically use for my rebuild series. That’s because I didnt initially intend to make a rebuild series on the Hawks; this trade was intitiallt a stand-alone for a challenge. However, I found myself making another Hawks trade, and decided to let them exist in the same universe. So, let this be known as the beginning of the Hawks contenders series!

I think it’s not time to give up on this Hawks backcourt just yet. They are just a few pieces away from contending, and this rebuild aims to prove that.

This week’s challenge for SchlenkSystem was to trade a star big man to Atlanta. Gobert as a star in 2023 is absolutely a stretch, but I think he could return to form in Atlanta.

Why the Wolves do this:

Rudy Gobert is on one of the worst contracts in the league. Acquiring Collins allows the Wolves to move KAT back to the center position and gives them better spacing. Capela gives them the flexibility to still run massive lineups if needed.

Why the Hawks do this:

Trae Young and Rudy Gobert could have a Stockton and Malone type relationship. There’s only one difference: Instead of Stockton’s great defense, Trae is a great shooter. This simply frees up more room on the interior for Gobert to operate. I think this is the ideal situation for a guy like him; the paint is clear for him to make easy shots and play great defense. The Hawks have more than enough shooters to satisfy Gobert’s needs. Besides, Capela and Collins should not be in the Hawks’ long-term plans based on how they’re playing; both should be expendable assets. Additionally, Quin Snyder has coached Gobert before, and the frustration wasn’t between those two, but it was in Mitchell and Gobert’s relationship.

Hawks lineup:

Stay tuned for the rest of the series to see the Hawks contending form take shape!