The Atlanta Hawks are entering the 2013 offseason with some excitement and determination, as the team is setting themselves up to make a big run at top players like Dwight Howard and Chris Paul and ahead of those moves the team is reportedly working on a big trade deal for the NBA draft.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Hawks are working on a deal to trade up in the NBA draft and are using their two first round picks as bait for teams looking to make a move. Atlanta has back-to-back selections at number 17 and 18 in the first round along with the 47th pick in the second round and the team is hoping to package some of those picks (like the two first rounders) in a deal to possibly move up to the top 10 in the draft. Sources said that general manager Danny Ferry is preparing to make a move after coming in last year just days before the 2012 draft.
Sources in the report said that the Hawks could possibly be trying to trade up for UCLA star Shabazz Muhammad, who has been rising up draft boards recently after working out for teams. Muhammad has already had workouts with teams and he also interviewed with the Sacramento Kings ahead of the draft and worked out with the Detroit Pistons. While Muhammad is dealing with an ankle sprain, he is expected to be a top-10 selection in the draft on June 27.
Many see Nerlens Noel or Alex Len as the top players in the draft and are expecting one of the two to be the first overall pick by the Cavaliers, if they keep the selection and don't trade it. The Hawks are under new management with Danny Ferry in charge and the franchise already made it clear that they were going to make moves in free agency before the draft rumors began. A team employee got into some hot water after Chris Paul and Dwight Howard's names appeared in an official team letter to ticket holders and they were later fined for tampering.
Fines aside, the team clearly wants to go after one of both of those players and the moves in the draft could be a part of that as well. The team is preparing to lose Josh Smith in free agency and to make up for it they are willing to try and sign Howard to a long term deal and they feel they have a chance since he is from Atlanta originally. The Hawks deal has some time before the draft to materialize and while Howard will be the main target, the moves could put them in a situation to sway him. Ferry hired a new coach in Mike Budenholzer after spending time as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs and the franchise is excited about the near future for the team.