NBA Trade Window: 3 teams that should trade for Steven Adams
An absolute behemoth inside the paint, Steven Adams has been critical to Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff quests over the last three seasons. He meshed well with Russell Westbrook to create offense on the pick-and-roll and is one of the best players in the league when it comes to offensive rebounding.
Now with both Paul George and Westbrook traded away this off-season, the Thunder are most certainly in the middle of a rebuild. OKC might be occupying a playoff seed in the West, but as per reports, their plans of building from scratch haven't changed.
There are two years still left on the 4-year $100 million extension that Adams signed in 2016 and such a high salary doesn't fit the bill on a team not planning to compete. Nonetheless, Adams brings a lot to the table and would be a huge addition to whichever team is willing to take the plunge. Having said that, let us look at three teams that should make a move for the big Kiwi:
#3 Atlanta Hawks
After starting the season with two consecutive wins, Atlanta Hawks have been on a tumultuous downward spiral with defensive troubles continuing to haunt them. Trae Young is averaging nearly 28 points per game but the Hawks are still the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference.
While it's given that the young Atlanta core will take some time to reach its potential, Young is already a star and wants to win games. The front office has reportedly promised him help. However, that help needs to come in the form of physical presence on both ends of the court. This is where Steven Adams comes into the fray.
Adams' size will help Trae run rings around the opposition with the pick-and-roll. Additionally, Adams will add much-required solidity to the Atlanta defense inside the paint. With the Hawks ranked 28th in rebounds per game, Adams will add value with his ability to grab the boards.
Potential trade package
Atlanta could attach the bad but expiring contract of Chandler Parsons worth $25 million to match salaries and could even throw in Alex Len – who also has an expiring deal – to ensure that OKC get a big in return.
However, to make the Thunder hand over the player and take on bad contracts, the Hawks would most certainly need to offer at least two first-round picks, which they can afford to given that they have mostly settled on the core they want to develop over the next 4-5 years. OKC, on the other hand, will be likely to accept knowing that they'll be getting picks from a team that is unlikely to be playing in the postseason in the near future.