By David Kenyon
The Atlanta Hawks need an upgrade to compete for a championship this season, and their long-term outlook is a question mark because Jeff Teague and other key players’ contracts will expire within the next two years.
Chris Mannix of Yahoo! Sports notes the franchise has been soliciting offers for Teague and backup point guard Dennis Schröder.
Hawks had been soliciting offers for Teague or Dennis Schroder, per rival execs. Though recently they have focused more on Teague.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixYS) January 27, 2016
ESPN’s Ian Begley revealed the New York Knicks have discussed Teague, which was initially suspected anyway. Other interested franchises could be Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks.
Teague is only 27 years old, so there’s certainly no rush to move him.
With that being said, the Wake Forest product is under contract through 2016-17 while Schröder is locked up for another year. Additionally, Teague is set to earn $8 million per season compared Schröder’s $6.5 million through 2017-18, according to HoopsHype.
Schröder also appears like the better long-term fit. Per NBA.com, he’s posted a 106.3 offensive rating and 95.5 defensive mark this season. Teague, on the other hand, has managed 101.7 and 103.9 clips, respectively.
Atlanta is making the right decision to gather information on Teague’s trade value. After all, the Hawks should jump at a chance to receive a first-round pick and two complementary pieces if that package is offered.
However, the franchise must be selective, because trading its starting point guard creates a massive void at the position. Schröder is a fine player, but he’s probably not capable of carrying the team without a decent reserve filling at least 15 productive minutes.
Teague’s post-trade deadline home will reveal whether Atlanta’s mindset is focused on winning now or preparing for the future — and if another NBA team is willing to sell out for a proven yet struggling point guard.
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