NBA Trade Rumors: Hawks Could Pay ‘King’s Ransom’ To Bring Devin Booker To Atlanta In 2020 Offseason
Since being selected as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker has managed to turn himself into an All-Star caliber player in the league. Unfortunately, despite Booker’s explosive performance almost every night, the Suns remain as one of the worst teams in the NBA. With the Suns set to suffer another huge disappointment in the 2019-20 NBA season, rumors surrounding Booker’s future with the Suns would likely heat up once again this fall.
If Booker expresses his desire to leave, the Suns would be left with no choice but to start listening to trade offers for him in the 2020 NBA offseason. Among the NBA teams who could express a strong interest in acquiring Booker from the Suns is the Atlanta Hawks. According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, the Hawks could pay the “king’s ransom” to bring Booker to Atlanta this fall.
In the proposed trade deal, the Hawks would be sending a trade package that includes John Collins, De’Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, Dewayne Dedmon, and a 2020 first-round pick to the Suns in exchange for Booker. The deal works on ESPN‘s NBA Trade Machine. The potential deal would make sense for the Hawks if they believe that Trae Young is ready to take the next level in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Pairing Young with another All-Star caliber talent that perfectly fits his timeline like Booker would strengthen the Hawks’ chances of returning to the Eastern Conference Playoffs next year. If the core of Booker, Young, Cam Reddish, and Clint Capela grows together and builds good chemistry, Swartz believes that the Hawks could become “one of the best teams in the East for years to come.”
Meanwhile, the potential deal should be a no-brainer for the Suns if they think that Booker is already determined to leave Phoenix. In exchange for the face of the franchise, the Suns would receive precious assets that would enable them to undergo a more meaningful rebuild.
“Collins is already a 20-and-10 power forward who shot over 40 percent from three this season. He and Deandre Ayton would combine to make an unstoppable offensive frontcourt. Hunter was the No. 4 overall pick in 2019, and Huerter is a 6’7″ shooting guard who can spread the floor and create plays for others. The Hawks would likely nix the deal and keep their pick if it lands at No. 1 overall, but anything in the 2-to-5 range should still interest the Suns. Phoenix could snag a player like LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards in addition to the other young pieces from Atlanta.”
Trading Booker would undeniably break the hearts of lots of Suns’ fans, but it would enable them to acquire three young and promising talents in Collins, Hunter, and Huerter that could form their new core with DeAndre Ayton. The Hawks’ 2020 first-round pick would also be a valuable acquisition for the Suns. If they get the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Suns could immediately find a replacement for Booker by selecting LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards.
