Atlanta Hawks: The potential impact of the Rockets trying to trade John Wall
The Atlanta Hawks had most of the Eastern Conference covered last season. They were within two games of being the Eastern Conference champions. Given they had not completed their rebuild, this is an amazing achievement.
The team they beat in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Philadelphia 76ers had a moment of implosion after the game and it has cost them the services of Ben Simmons which is massive for the Hawks. His defense was incredible on Trae Young and it almost won them the series.
However, because his coach and franchise player threw him under the bus with their comments after the game, Simmons has refused to report for training camp. This is where the Rockets reportedly making John Wall available for trade comes in.
The John Wall potentially being traded impacts the Atlanta Hawks
The 76ers are trying to get the best they can for Simmons. He is a truly gifted player but because of the comments, and how he performed on the court, the teams at the top end of the NBA standings are holding out to see if they can give up less to get him.
This does not stop the Houston Rockets from putting their hat in the ring to see if they can get Simmons. They are in the middle of a rebuild thanks to James Harden holding out on them last season and Simmons would be a tremendous asset to speed their rebuild up.
This could mean that the 76ers end up with Wall, who is a seriously talented basketball player. The hesitation for the 76ers might be Wall’s injury history. He has played a total of 113 games in the past four seasons. However, if he is healthy, Wall would be a tremendous asset to this team, and he can shoot free throws too.
However, this would take away one of the defensive weapons that the 76ers can use against Young. Simmons is so good and so long that he was able to impact Young’s 3-point game for that series. Wall is seven inches shorter and would not be able to get as close to Young’s shots, especially if he continues to fire from longer ranges.
Next. B/R ranks Bogdan Bogdanovic as the weakest starter. dark
Simmons, due to his height and his athleticism, is also a better rebounder than Wall. If Clint Capela and John Collins have one less big to worry about on the court then they have a chance to end the defensive possession for the Hawks by securing a rebound under less pressure. Maybe the Hawks should look to try and facilitate this trade.