NBA Rumors: Atlanta Hawks "Motivated" To Trade; These Two Players Likely On Way Out

There's no doubt the Atlanta Hawks did not expect to find themselves here as the calendar flipped. Mired in 12th in the Eastern Conference, four games below .500 is not what was hoped for, after a Conference Finals appearance last season. But they certainly aren't throwing in the towel just yet, according to a report today in The Athletic. 

Sam Amick says sources tell him that the Hawks are looking to make a two-for-one deal, to bring in "an impact player." And he names the "two" who could be dealt:

Sources say the Hawks — well aware that their rotations are a bit crowded when fully healthy — are on the lookout for a one-for-two type of deal for an impact player. Veteran forward Danilo Gallinari (just $5 million of his $21.4 million guaranteed on his deal for next season) and third-year small forward Cam Reddish, it seems, are the most likely candidates to be headed out. 

Gallinari's minutes and production are down this season, and the 33-year-old faces a minutes-squeeze when the full roster complement is available. He's averaging just 9.5 points a game, down a full 6 points from his career average. He is still firing threes at a 40% clip, but the volume is down. 

Reddish is in his 3rd season, and eligible for a rookie extension this summer, which the Hawks are surely not keen to hand out. When all hands are on deck, Atlanta has three players who seem to be ahead of him in the rotation (De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic).

The Hawks could ease the roster congestion by making a 2-for-1 deal, and, as Amick notes, with the season slipping away from them, "the urgency is likely on the rise."

Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports