The Atlanta Hawks, despite the modest expectations surrounding them entering the 2024-25 season in the aftermath of the Dejounte Murray trade, have been on a tear as of late despite their rough loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. They have won seven of their past 10 games, overcoming a bit of a slow start to begin the campaign with a 13-12 record, and with their team becoming healthier, they could go on and threaten to finish in the top six of a middling Eastern Conference.
Nonetheless, it's no secret that a few of the Hawks players have been made available on the trade market, with the likes of De'Andre Hunter, Clint Capela, and Bogdan Bogdanovic among those who could be had for the right package. But one of Atlanta's players who, logically speaking, should be available in a trade, continues to be held out of talks.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Hawks have been rebuffing trade overtures for veteran big man Larry Nance Jr. Nance may be out of the rotation most of the time, but the Hawks clearly value what he brings to the table, as he is a leader and an overall positive influence on the locker room.
Nance also arrived on the Hawks courtesy of the Murray trade that netted them prized defensive guard Dyson Daniels. And as per Stein, the Hawks have been resolute in their stance not to trade the 31-year-old big man away.
Teams interested in a trade for a Hawks center may be best served devoting their attention towards Capela; Stein reported that the 30-year-old center is still the Atlanta big man who's “most available” in a trade. Capela is making $22.3 million in the final year of his contract, although it's not quite clear how big the market is for a non-shooting big whose athleticism is on the decline.
Larry Nance Jr. brings the intangibles for the Hawks
Related Atlanta Hawks NewsArticle continues below
Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) warms up
© Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Larry Nance Jr. has been a helpful presence on every team he's played for, and the Hawks have been benefitting from having him around. But it's not as if Nance is on the roster playing a Udonis Haslem late career-type role; he can still play, even though he's been buried on the Hawks' depth chart amid Jalen Johnson's breakout season and both Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu's presence on the roster.
Nance is putting up 8.7 points and 2.6 rebounds on 63/55/75 shooting splits in just 16.2 minutes per game; if Capela were to be traded away, Nance should fill in easily as the Hawks' backup center with the potential to be a starter on some nights depending on the matchup.