Why This Trade Would Benefit The Atlanta Hawks

Whenever an ascending team like the Atlanta Hawks has a chance to acquire an NBA MVP caliber talent like James Harden, they must capitalize on the opportunity. This Hawks team is on the rise and giving Trae Young a superstar running mate would go a long way.

There would be some concerns about the cohesion of a backcourt that features ultra high-usage guards. That’s always going to cause some pause when considering there is obviously only one basketball to go around. Staggering minutes would help but still, they’d need to work well together.

However, what makes Trae Young very different from Russell Westbrook as an NBA All-Star running mate for Harden is that Young is a highly efficient catch-and-shoot threat and has a more refined ability to score within the gaps of the defense when getting downhill.

Not being left without some helpful contributors in the supporting cast certainly helps the Hawks in this situation. PJ Tucker, Ben McLemore, and Jae’Sean Tate would all be able to make an impact and Harden is very familiar with Clint Capela already, too.