The NBA trade rumor mill is heating up, and while the spotlight’s been fixed on Giannis Antetokounmpo and Karl-Anthony Towns, it’s the Atlanta Hawks who might be holding the most underrated hand in the deck. With the rights to the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2026 and 2027 first-round picks, Atlanta is in a unique position to influence - or even reshape - a blockbuster deal, especially if the Bucks decide to move on from their two-time MVP.
Let’s break it down.
The New York Knicks are reportedly eager to move on from Towns, and Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee is anything but certain. The Knicks have been linked to Giannis for months now, but the math - and the assets - just don’t quite add up for a one-on-one deal.
New York does have five first-round picks, but only one can be traded outright. The rest would need to be structured as pick swaps, which don’t carry much weight for a team like Milwaukee if they’re headed for a rebuild while the Knicks are trending upward.
Player-wise, the Knicks have talent, but not necessarily the kind that fits Milwaukee’s timeline. That’s a problem.
Meanwhile, the Knicks are sliding. They’ve dropped into two separate four-game losing streaks in the past month and rank near the bottom of the league in offensive efficiency over the last two weeks.
The pressure is mounting, and the front office knows it. Something has to give.
That’s where the Portland Trail Blazers come in. Portland owns two Milwaukee pick swaps and has reportedly shown interest in Mikal Bridges.
There’s buzz around a potential mega-deal involving Antetokounmpo, Towns, Bridges, Jerami Grant, and a bundle of picks from both New York and Portland. On paper, it’s a creative solution to a complicated puzzle - but here’s the twist: Atlanta might be better positioned than Portland to get involved.
The Hawks have a quiet advantage.
New general manager Onsi Saleh has a golden opportunity sitting in front of him. Atlanta holds valuable pick swaps involving both New Orleans and Milwaukee - they’ll get the more favorable pick in 2026 and the less favorable in 2027.
That 2026 pick might be off-limits in trade talks, but the 2027 asset? That’s in play.
And in the right deal, it could be the key that unlocks a major move.
If Atlanta wants to get aggressive - and there’s reason to believe they should - they could walk away from this trade frenzy with a high-impact player like Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby.
Bridges is the more dynamic offensive threat, capable of spacing the floor, attacking closeouts, and defending multiple positions. He’s the kind of two-way wing every contender covets. Anunoby, on the other hand, brings a different flavor - size, strength, and defensive versatility that would immediately elevate a Hawks forward rotation that’s been thin on physicality and perimeter defense.
Either player would be a massive get for Atlanta, especially if it only costs them a future pick and the role of facilitator in a larger deal. This is the kind of move that could change the trajectory of the franchise - not just for this season, but for years to come.
The Hawks don’t need to force anything. But if Saleh is serious about reshaping this roster and building a sustainable contender around Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, this is the kind of moment you circle on the calendar.
Two desperate teams - New York and Milwaukee - are searching for a lifeline. Atlanta has the assets to provide one and come away with a cornerstone piece in return.
Sometimes the smartest play is knowing when to strike. For the Hawks, that time might be right now.