The Atlanta Hawks are one of few teams with maximum level cap space. Could a larger, long term commitment entice Goran Dragic to leave the Miami Heat?
The Atlanta Hawks are going back to the playoffs at some point. With Trae Young at the helm and newly acquired Clint Capela joining the team next season, it’s only imminent.
Until they make that postseason berth however, they’ve got a lot of money to spend and not too many holes to fill. Atlanta’s largest need right now is just time and player development. Their roster is incredibly young with a youth cornerstone at almost every position.
But the Hawks’ second largest need is a backup point guard. As one of few teams that have the cap space to offer a maximum contract, they will appeal to any veteran point guard entering the offseason market–including Miami’s Goran Dragic.
The Hawks’ depth at point guard is exactly why they made their trade for Jeff Teague at the deadline. But he too is headed for free agency this summer, likely with strict plans of signing only with teams within earshot of a championship.
Atlanta will need to fill their backup point guard slot, and who better than Dragic? His experience and consistency throughout the years make him the best available by far.
No one’s saying the Atlanta Hawks are going to shelve out a max-level contract for a 34-year old point guard set to play strictly in the second unit. But with the amount of cap space they have, if that truly is his primary motivator, Dragic would be dumb not to sign.