The NBA trade deadline is less than 48 hours away and the Atlanta Hawks are looking to get involved in the action. After trading Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks for Kevin Knox and a protected first-round pick in 2022, the Hawks are looking to upgrade their backcourt talent ahead of the deadline and Goran Dragic seems to be on their radar, sources told NBA Analysis Network.
Dragic, 35, is in his 14th NBA season, but he has only played in 5 games with the Toronto Raptors due to he and the team agreeing to work on his future shortly after the start of the season.
In addition to acquiring Precious Achiuwa from the Miami Heat as part of the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade, the Raptors also acquired Goran Dragic and they have been looking to deal him ever since.
The idea of a potential buyout is still on the table for Dragic and Toronto should they not be able to trade him before Thursday, but the veteran guard is drawing interest from a few teams around the league, most notably the Atlanta Hawks.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Raptors’ Goran Dragic Trade Coming; Potential Suitors To Watch
Just several months after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hawks find themselves struggling to remain relevant this season. Currently 25-28, Atlanta has been led by All-Star point guard Trae Young, but they have no consistency on their roster, primarily in their backcourt.
When Trae Young is not on the floor, the Hawks have struggled to find reliable offensive production this season and while John Collins has continued to be a solid secondary option for this team next to Young, Atlanta is still searching for another ball-handler.
While he is older, Goran Dragic has proven to be an impactful talent by being a former All-Star and helping lead the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals in 2022.
Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Dragic has averaged 16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and has shot 37.4% from three-point range, making him a reliable playmaker and secondary scoring talent for virtually any team in this league.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Raptors’ Goran Dragic Trade Coming; Potential Suitors To Watch
His contract though is the big reason why he still remains on the Raptors roster. Goran Dragic is in the final year of his contract, but he is making $19.4 million this season.
Not many teams in the league have the capability to absorb a close to $20 million contract at the trade deadline, which is why Dragic has not drawn a ton of interest this season in trade talks.
However, the Hawks do have the ability to trade for Goran Dragic and his contract given their interest in possibly moving some salaries around. Danilo Gallinari ($20.4 million) and Bogdan Bogdanovic ($18 million) are two players the Hawks have shown a level of interest in moving on from and both players’ contracts line up with that of Dragic’s.
There is also the outside possibility of John Collins getting dealt at the trade deadline in a multi-team trade that could result in the Hawks bringing in Goran Dragic, but the chances of them dealing Collins remain low as of right now.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Raptors’ Goran Dragic Trade Coming; Potential Suitors To Watch
Danilo Gallinari potentially getting moved seems like the most sense in a potential Dragic trade for the Atlanta Hawks, especially given the Toronto Raptors need for more secondary scoring talents on their bench.
While he is also a veteran talent, Gallinari has proven to be an effective scorer in the paint and on the perimeter as a combo-forward in this league for years and Toronto Raptors’ executive Masai Ujiri acquired Gallinari when he was working for the Denver Nuggets during the 2010-11 season.
Goran Dragic is expected to be dealt ahead of the trade deadline and along with the Atlanta Hawks showing a level of interest in the veteran guard, the Dallas Mavericks have also shown interest in Dragic this season.
