With the Atlanta Hawks still trying to find their rhythm this season and sitting just below the .500 mark, the trade rumor mill is heating up again. The latest buzz? A potential deal with the Chicago Bulls that would send Kristaps Porzingis out of Atlanta and bring back Coby White and veteran big man Nikola Vucevic.
Now, let’s be clear - there’s no indication that this trade is imminent or even being actively pursued. But around the league, this is exactly the kind of "marginal move" that executives believe the Hawks might be eyeing if they decide to move on from Porzingis.
Not a blockbuster. Not a franchise-shifting splash.
Just a calculated shift that could help Atlanta stay competitive without mortgaging the future.
Porzingis, when healthy, is still a high-level contributor. The 7-foot-3 forward is averaging 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field and a respectable 36.4% from deep.
He’s putting up those numbers in just under 26 minutes per game across 13 appearances this season. But availability has always been the question with Porzingis, and with his $30.7 million expiring contract, he’s become one of the Hawks’ most valuable trade chips - especially for teams looking for short-term impact without long-term salary commitment.
The Hawks have reportedly kicked the tires on bigger names - including a potential pursuit of Mavericks star Anthony Davis - but there’s been no movement on that front. And realistically, rival teams don’t expect Atlanta to give up significant assets or take on long-term salary in a deal like that. Instead, a more modest reshuffling - like the proposed swap with Chicago - feels more in line with what the Hawks may actually do.
Let’s break that down. Vucevic is a stretch big with a similar offensive profile to Porzingis, but he’s making about $9 million less this season.
That matters for a Hawks team that’s $5.4 million under the luxury tax threshold and would prefer to stay there. Swapping Porzingis for Vucevic - and adding a high-upside guard like White - could give Atlanta a more balanced rotation without shaking the core too hard.
White, 25, is in the middle of a breakout campaign. Since returning in November, he’s been on a tear, averaging a career-best 21.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game while logging nearly 30 minutes a night.
He’s shooting 44.8% from the field and, though his three-point percentage is down at 31.9%, his confidence and aggressiveness have been game-changers for Chicago’s backcourt. White is also on an expiring deal, making $12.8 million this season before hitting free agency.
Then there’s Vucevic. At 35, he’s not the All-Star he once was, but he’s still producing at a high level.
The veteran center is averaging 16.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, shooting just under 49% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc. He’s a reliable interior presence who can stretch the floor - not unlike Porzingis - but with a slightly different skill set that might complement Onyeka Okongwu more naturally.
Vucevic is also on the final year of his three-year, $60 million contract, earning $21.4 million this season.
From a cap perspective, the numbers work. From a roster-building standpoint, it’s a move that could provide Atlanta with more lineup flexibility and a bit more consistency - especially if Porzingis’ health remains a question mark down the stretch.
Meanwhile, Chicago is trending up. The Bulls have won four straight, including back-to-back wins over the Hawks, the latest being a 126-123 nail-biter.
They’re 14-15 heading into a Friday night showdown with the 76ers at the United Center. Atlanta, on the other hand, has dropped four straight and will try to stop the bleeding as they close out a five-game homestand.
They’ll face the Miami Heat on Friday and the red-hot New York Knicks on Saturday night.
For the Hawks, the next few weeks could be telling. If the losses keep piling up, don’t be surprised if Atlanta starts exploring moves like this one - not to blow it all up, but to quietly retool around their young core and stay in the playoff mix.