Report: Hawks inform NBA of intention to swap first-round picks with Nets
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Joe Johnson trade keeps paying dividends for the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks officially informed the NBA that they intend to swap 2015 first-round picks with the Brooklyn Nets, who traded for Johnson and the remaining portion of his six-year, $123 million contract back in 2013, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chris Vivlamore.
The swap, which was not lottery-protected, would move Atlanta from the No. 29 overall pick to No. 15.
The Hawks have officially informed the NBA and the Nets their intention to swap first-round draft picks, No. 15 from No. 29. #ATLHawks
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) May 11, 2015
Aside from owning Brooklyn's 2017 second-round selection, the pick swap is the last major piece remaining from the blockbuster trade that helped alter the course of the Hawks franchise under general manager Danny Ferry. Taking advantage of an aggressive Brooklyn ownership set on building an All-Star roster, the Hawks flipped Johnson's expensive deal for the aforementioned pieces, a 2013 first-round pick, the expiring contracts of Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro and Jordan Williams and wing DeShawn Stevenson via sign-and-trade.
The No. 15 pick will be an important piece in what should be an intriguing offseason for the Hawks, who face free agency decisions with starters Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll as well as key backups Pero Antic and John Jenkins, among others.
The Nets finished the 2014-15 season with a 38-44 record and lost to the top-seeded Hawks in the first round of the playoffs.
