The Hawks have been mentioned time and time again as a team that is expected to pursue Pascal Siakam should the Raptors make him available before the trade deadline.
Atlanta is in a tough spot overall. It made a win-now move when it acquired Dejounte Murray from San Antonio in 2022 but fell to Boston in the first round of last year's playoffs and is currently on the outside looking in on the Eastern Conference Play-In race as we approach the midpoint of the season.
Toronto is a couple of games behind Atlanta in the standings and took the first step toward building around Scottie Barnes with the O.G. Anunoby trade.
Is there a deal to be done that benefits both the Raptors and Hawks? Here's one potential trade.
MORE: Why Raptors say yes and no to this Pascal Siakam-to-Warriors trade
Why the Raptors say yes and no: Pascal Siakam trade to Hawks for Dejounte Murray, AJ Griffin package
The trade
Pascal Siakam and Jalen McDaniels for De'Andre Hunter, Dejounte Murray and AJ Griffin.
Why this trade
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Hawks and Raptors had some "pretty intense conversations" during the offseason over a Siakam trade that centered around Hunter, Griffin and draft compensation.
More recently, Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported that rival executives believe the Raptors are among the teams that will "begin progressing to more serious discourse" with the Hawks about Murray.
Why Raptors say yes
Murray, 27, is two years younger than Siakam, 29, and recently signed an extension that could keep him under contract through the 2027-28 season. He's a couple of years removed from earning an All-Star selection, but he's still been good for 20.6 points, 5.6 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game over the last two seasons. He's improved as a 3-point shooter and while he may not be a perennial All-Defense candidate anymore, he's a disruptive and versatile defender.
Hunter hasn't lived up to the hype of being the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but he's a big wing who can defend and knock down 3s. Perhaps the Raptors can unlock some of his potential.
The No. 16 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Griffin had a promising rookie season that saw him average 8.9 points on 39.0 percent shooting from 3-point range. The Raptors are familiar with his work — Griffin had a game-winning alley-oop against them last season while his father, Adrian Griffin, was on the coaching staff.
Why Raptors say no
The Raptors were in the market for a point guard when Fred VanVleet left in free agency. After acquiring Immanuel Quickley, there isn't as much of a need. Also, while Murray has improved as a 3-point shooter, he's at his best with the ball in his hands. Toronto might benefit more from giving as many reps as possible to Quickley, RJ Barrett and Barnes than adding a high-usage guard who isn't on the same timeline.
MORE: Grading early returns from RJ Barrett as a Raptor
The idea of Hunter is someone every team is looking for, but he hasn't improved much since being drafted. Griffin showed promise last season, but he has been limited this season due to personal reasons.
Would the Hawks even sign off on this?
The Hawks have been linked to Siakam for a while now and NBA insider Marc Stein reported in early January that the team is "actively exploring" all trade possibilities for Murray. Compared to some of the other potential packages for Siakam that we've explored, Hunter and Griffin isn't a ridiculous ask.
There's still some risk involved for the Hawks because Siakam is in a contract year. There's also some overlap between him and Jalen Johnson, who is having a breakout season. The Hawks are determined to build around Trae Young and Johnson, one source described to Stein. If that is the case, Siakam might not be the best target.
