With all the moves the Atlanta Hawks have made this season, some would think that they would done trying to add players. I mean, they have over the standard amount of players on the team, which means somebody is either going to be traded or waived at some point before the start of the season. Nonetheless, the Hawks are still being mentioned in rumors as they try to acquire another player on the team.
The latest rumor came from Shams Charania, as he named the Hawks as one of three teams looking to pursue restricted free agent Peyton Watson. The Denver Nuggets have been trying to find a way to retain him, but his price tag might be too high for them, and they’re currently the only team in the second apron.
The Nuggets can still find a way to keep him and not be too deep in a financial hole, but it would either require them trading other players or him playing on his qualified offer. If neither one of those options works out, there’s a good chance that he’s on a new team next season.
That’s where the Hawks could potentially come into play.
How Peyton Watson fits with the Hawks
It makes sense why the Hawks might be interested in Watson, and he fits everything they want to do on both sides of the ball.
On offense, Watson’s 6’8 frame makes him hard to guard, especially when he’s driving to the paint, which is something he did a lot with the Nuggets. He’s pretty athletic as well, and can get shifty when he’s going up for a layup. The Nuggets didn’t need Watson to create his own shot all the time, but when he did have the ball in his hands, he knew what to do with it.
As far as off-the-ball goes, when you have a player like Nikola Jokic on the team, cutting is essential, and Watson was good at creating shots by doing so. Whether he’s on or off the ball, Watson’s strengths would fit in perfectly with what the Hawks want to do on offense, strictly because he’d thrive with the constant ball movement. Not to forget to mention, Watson shot 41.1% from the 3-point line this past season, and the Hawks are consistently getting those shots up.
On defense, Watson’s length comes into play once again, and he’s good for meeting people at the rim if he has the right angle. He’s good for using his wingspan to get steals, and once he’s in transition, it’s hard to stop him.
The Hawks already have several wings on their team, but he’d be one of the tallest next to Jalen Johnson, who is also 6’8. That would be a plus for the team, and his skill set would go well with the Hawks.
How could the Hawks acquire Peyton Watson?
The Hawks would have to acquire Watson through a sign-and-trade, and the Nuggets are rumored to want a really good high-level player and a first-round pick. The Hawks have some assets that they could offer the Nuggets, but it may get complicated when looking at both of their current situations.
The Nuggets are in the second apron, and their goal shouldn’t be to get themselves deeper in a hole. That means they may have to trade more players, or they might just have to ask for more picks.
With the Hawks having 17 players currently on the roster, they could trade players such as Buddy Hield and Corey Kispert, but those aren’t the level of players they’re looking for in return. Other than that, it’s hard to see the Hawks giving up any of their core players, especially since acquiring Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort in a trade.
In that case, the Hawks and Nuggets may have to find a third team to get into the deal, but it may be even harder to pull that off unless that team is getting something valuable in return.
Out of the current teams who have interest in Watson, the Hawks might have the hardest path, but with them actually being interested shows that they know a path in getting him without making things complicated.