NBA 2018/19: 3 players that the Atlanta Hawks should trade

The Atlanta Hawks are currently undergoing a major rebuild. During the 2018 postseason, the franchise traded away a number of starters such as Dennis Schroder, as the team turned their attention to acquiring young players while discarding their most expensive contracts.

This resulted in the Hawks stockpiling a number of high picks for the 2018 NBA draft, although the team has been haunted by trading away the rights of Luke Doncic, who has been the breakout star of the 18/19 season so far. The team did, however, manage to acquire the exciting Trae Young, although, after half of a season, there are still question marks over Young's ability to be successful in the NBA.

On the court, the Hawks have started the season with a disappointing 12-27 record, although they have won six of their last ten games. Despite the recent run of form, the Hawks look likely to finish the season with a record similar to the 17/18 season (24-58). So with the Atlanta Hawks already out of the playoff hunt, here we will look at three players that the team should trade away before the deadline.

#3 Dewayne Dedmon

Dewayne Dedmon has been among the better performers on a struggling Hawks roster this season, although he is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Hawks are likely to let Dedmon leave as they continue their recent trend of targeting younger players, and if this is indeed the case, then the Hawks would be better served in trading the 29-year-old away before the end of the season.

The franchise has nothing to play for before now and April, and a number of teams will be interested in acquiring a reliable center, who, despite playing limited minutes, is averaging 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Ultimately, the Hawks should try and get a young player or draft pick in return for Dedmon.

#2 Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin will always have a place in the hearts of NBA fans thanks to his stunning run during with the New York Knicks. Lin went undrafted during the 2010 NBA draft, and after a brief spell with the Golden State Warriors, Lin landed in New York and was soon a household name.

Despite this, Lin's NBA career has been heavily affected by a series of serious injuries, and despite the guard overcoming his injury issues this season, the Hawks have been reluctant to give Lin regular minutes. He is currently averaging less than 20 minutes per-game for the first time since his rookie year, although Lin has still managed to record 10.6 points and 3.4 assists per game.

There a no doubts that Lin still has the capability to contribute to a playoff chasing team, and with Lin currently in the final year of a $36 million contract he signed with the Nets in 2016, the Hawks should try and get a draft pick in return for the former Knicks man.

#1 Miles Plumlee

Back in June of 2017, Miles Plumlee was traded alongside Marco Belinelli and the 41st pick of the 17 NBA draft in exchange for Dwight Howard and the 31st overall pick. The Hawks were never interested in Plumlee for his skill-set, although the franchise was desperate to rid themselves of Dwight Howard, who the organisation viewed as a disruptive force in the locker room.

Nevertheless, the Hawks are now stuck with Plumlee, who is currently in the middle of a four-year $52 million deal that he signed back in 2016. This is arguably one of the worst contracts in the entire NBA, and the Hawks should do everything in their power to rid themselves of a player who has only played 18 times this season, averaging just 4.4 points, 0.9 assists, and 2.2 rebounds.

Ultimately, the Hawks will have to take on another bad deal to get rid of Plumlee, but it is a move that the franchise should make.