The Atlanta Hawks have a potentially busy offseason ahead of them. With rumors of Trae Young’s departure and certain veteran role players expected to leave, the Hawks could look quite different by the start of next season.

After an injury-riddled campaign in which they somehow managed 40 wins, the Hawks will enjoy the return of Jalen Johnson in the fall. New Atlanta general manager Onsi Saleh could look to be aggressive this summer in pursuing more young talent to fit the timelines of Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher.

Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell recently proposed a blockbuster three-team trade between the Hawks, the Houston Rockets, and the Brooklyn Nets.

At just 22 years old, Smith Jr. is yet to unlock his full potential. He might struggle to reach his ceiling with the Rockets due to their volume of young frontcourt talent, but he could thrive in a potential starting role on the Hawks.

Smith Jr. is also a Georgia native who played high school basketball in the Peach State. He was named Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2021 before his one-year college career at Auburn. The former All-American and SEC Rookie of the Year took a slight step back in production this season, averaging a career-low 12.2 points with a career-low 30.1 minutes per game.

Standing at 6-foot-11 with a true stretch-four skill set, Smith Jr. could have a lot to offer a team like Atlanta. The Hawks’ high-paced offense would only benefit from Smith Jr.’s abilities to space the floor and hit the 3-pointer. He has converted more than 37% of his catch-and-shoot threes in each of his last two seasons. Atlanta could also use some additional size and frontcourt depth, especially with Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. potentially on their way out.

Caudell discussed how Smith Jr. would fit with the Hawks from a fit and timeline perspective.

“Atlanta could use frontcourt depth and buying low on Smith could be a huge move for them to make,” Caudell wrote. “Smith would instantly be the backup four behind Jalen Johnson and bring athleticism to the Hawks bench. Smith Jr averaged 12.2 PPG and 7.0 RPG on 44/35/83 shooting splits. He fits Atlanta's timeline and makes them a bigger team, which is something they should be doing this offseason.”

Houston and Brooklyn could also benefit greatly from the proposed trade. Cam Johnson’s high-powered shooting and scoring would give the Rockets an extra boost on the perimeter, and the Nets would gain more youth in the form of Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore. Green has the potential to become a superstar, but some glaring flaws have capped his early-career growth in areas outside of scoring.

As the Hawks continue their search for a new president of basketball operations, they will need to simultaneously focus on their impending roster changes. With players like Smith Jr. potentially available for the taking, Saleh needs to take action and make the aggressive decisions needed for future contention.