KEY POINTS

  • Hawks interested in Clint Capela
  • Rockets unlikely to move Capella for now
  • Hawks likely to check on availability of other big men

The season has been excruciating for the Atlanta Hawks with the current NBA season well out of their grasps. Instead, the logical approach is to move forward and rebuild. One position they need to address is the center slot.

With the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6, the Hawks could be one of the teams who could enter a deal. One player reportedly on their radar is Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets. Several teams are interested in the 25-year-old Swiss. This season, he has played in 39 games averaging 13.9 points 13.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists, as per Basketball-Reference.com.

But the key here is that Capela is only 25. He could fit in well with the young players of the Hawks and provide Trae Young some needed help. The only problem is that the Rockets may not be too keen on moving the 25th pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, The Athletic reported. If that is the case, Atlanta may need to broaden its search to plug its hole in the middle. With the Rockets focusing on the NBA playoffs, Capela remains a vital cog for their campaign.

The Hawks do have a budding big man in John Collins. But in the same article from The Athletic, Atlanta needs someone comfortable playing the center position. Several teams are reportedly monitoring his situation and there is a possibility he could be inadvertently packaged to get a true center.

With the Hawks' pursuit of Capela not looking great, attention could be diverted to other players. Dewayne Dedmon of the Sacramento Kings and Steven Adams of the Oklahoma City Thunder could be targeted. Of the two, it is Dedmon who has asked to be moved to another team.

In a previous post, Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons was a target. But it appears the Hawks have decided to go in a different direction. It was suggested there that Atlanta would be better off trying to get Adams from the Thunder. Among the players the Hawks could dangle include Evan Turner and Chandler Parsons. Following the mishap of Parsons, Atlanta may have to find someone else. Including some picks in a potential trade could also sweeten the deal.

Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks players celebrate after the game against the Washington Wizards in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Reuters/ Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports