Atlanta Hawks big man Al Horford is playing again after missing majority of the 2013-14 NBA season with a torn pectoral muscle. In his return, the Atlanta Hawks hope he can be their best asset on the court, and eventually, on the trading market.
In his latest article entitled '33 Crazy Predictions for the 2014-15 NBA season, writer Zach Lowe of Grantland brought up the idea that the Hawks might be starting to look for trade partners for their best frontcourt player.
The 28-year old Horford is the remaining remnant of the Hawks' Big 3 era following the departure of swingman Joe Johnson and forward Josh Smith. Averaging at least 14 points and 9 rebounds in his career, the former Florida Gators standout is still regarded as one of the finest big men in the game when healthy.
However, staying healthy has been Horford's biggest problem the past three seasons, hurting his development as a player and the Hawks' chances of taking that next step to championship contention.
According to Lowe, it won't be surprising if the Hawks will start entertaining trade offers for Horford this season. After seeing the Minnesota Timberwolves getting a nice haul in exchange for letting Kevin Love join the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer, the Hawks front office is hoping they could acquire a solid set of assets (promising young players and first-round draft picks) for Horford.
"It happened in stealth mode last season, when the Hawks reached out to a select group and made it known that Horford could be had for the right price - including an unprotected 2014 first-round pick, per several league sources. Nothing materialized, and Horford is ready to return from another torn pectoral muscle," Lowe on Horford situation with the Hawks.
"A healthy Horford is a top-20 player on a below-market contract that runs through 2015-16 - long enough that some team could talk itself into gambling on him. He could net a hefty return for the Hawks, who have been happily skipping down the "pretty good with cap room" path under Danny Ferry."
"They have worked to stay competitive, in hopes that they'll eventually sign a star into that cap space and vault from "pretty good" to something better."
If Horford eventually becomes available on the trading block, teams like the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers or Miami Heat could make a run for the big man. The Charlotte Hornets are another team that might express interest in Horford, and they are certainly capable of pulling off a huge deal because of promising young players they have.
