The NBA trade rumors speculation is reaching fever pitch as the deadline approaches and the Atlanta Hawks might be the team that pulls the trigger.
The Hawks have been dominant in the regular season and it reached its peak last year when they got the best record in the Eastern Conference and homecourt advantage in the playoffs, but they failed to get past the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to ESPN, the management of the team has already acknowledged this reality and described the team as "a fringe contender."
"This realization has prompted Atlanta to think long and hard about Horford, who is in the final year of a five-year, $60 million contract extension," ESPN wrote. "The Hawks must decide whether to re-sign their big man to a hefty five-year deal, or try to move him now while they can get value."
With this in mind, more and more pundits have surmised that the Boston Celtics are the most likely candidates to nail Horford. Bleacher Report has suggested a trade.
"Atlanta Hawks Receive: SG Avery Bradley, SG R.J. Hunter, PF David Lee, PF Jared Sullinger, 2016 first-round pick via Boston and 2016 first-round pick (top-seven protected) via Dallas." B/R proposed. "Boston Celtics Receive: C Al Horford, SG/SF Kyle Korver and SGThabo Sefolosha."
B/R has rated other trending trade rumors and they believe that the Atlanta Hawks trading Horford would be the one that falls through (though not exactly in the form that they suggested). They have given it the green light, as opposed to a yellow light for the Toronto Raptors pursuit of a power forward and a red light for a Blake Griffin trade.
