The Sacramento Kings are willing to trade De’Aaron Fox, and now it is up to teams to figure out a way to get the talented point guard. Fox’s preferred destination is San Antonio, and the Atlanta Hawks should exploit that in their best interest.
Hawks Should Get Into the De’Aaron Fox Trade Drama
The biggest reason the Hawks should try to get into the De’Aaron Fox trade rumors is to get some of their draft capital back. The Hawks, the Kings, and the Spurs are in a looped triangle of their draft assets.
The Hawks control some of the Sacramento Kings future draft picks, while the San Antonio Spurs control the draft capital of the Atlanta Hawks. If the Spurs want to get Fox, they will have to compensate the Kings with future draft picks. For now, it is not clear whether the Kings will go into a complete rebuild, or do they want to reshape their roster around Domantas Sabonis and the remaining young core?
The Draft Triangle
Let’s take a look at the draft triangle between the Atlanta Hawks, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Sacramento Kings. Here is a quick breakdown:
- The Sacramento Kings owe their 2025 first-round pick to Atlanta, protected 1-12 in 2025, and 1-10 in 2026. If the Kings do not convey a first-round pick to the Hawks by 2026, they will convey their second round picks in 2026 and 2027 instead.
- The Atlanta Hawks owe their first-round pick in 2025, without any protections, to the San Antonio Spurs. They also owe the swap rights to their 2026 first-round pick to the Spurs.
- The San Antonio Spurs also have swap rights with the Kings in 2031 and control their 2031 second-round pick without any protections.
Which Pick is More Valuable to The Hawks?
For the Atlanta Hawks, the decisions hinges on which pick they think is more valuable. As of right now, they will get a pick from the Sacramento Kings in the 2025 draft. The Kings are in the 13th slot currently, and their pick is protected 1-12. Atlanta’s pick, as of January 29, will fall into the 11th spot.
Do the Hawks consider their own pick more valuable? Or do they think the Kings’ pick has more value? It is hard to make a right decision, but that is how organizations succeed or fail. If a De’Aaron Fox trade to the Spurs happen, the Hawks can benefit from giving the Kings their pick, while trying to get the rights for their own picks from San Antonio.
That type of trade can benefit all involved parties. The Spurs get Fox, a young point guard to pair with their superstar Victor Wembanyama, the Kings get control over their picks, and the Hawks get control over their future as well. If the Hawks get their picks back, they might seriously consider moving off from Trae Young. They can then rebuild around their young stars like Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson.
As of January 29, the Hawks are in the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference. They do not look like a team that can compete for a championship. Trae has only one more guaranteed year on his contract after this year, which will make things complicated in Atlanta. The Fox trade sweepstakes are a godsend for the Hawks because they can try to get back some of their lost assets.
Photo credit: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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