Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks Pursuing Pascal Siakam

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We’re just hours away from the 2023 NBA Draft in New York. Already a flurry of draft-related moves have been made, but more are sure to come. In the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks are eager to trade for the Toronto Raptor’s Pascal Siakam.

The Cameroonian power forward was a first-round draft pick for the Raptors in 2016 and has blossomed into one of the franchise’s most beloved players. A key piece in their 2019 championship, he is a fan-favorite and productive starter in Toronto. This past season, Siakam averaged a career-high 24.2 points per game.

However, the Raptors only managed a .500 record before losing to the Bulls in the Play-In Tournament. This led to the firing of five-year head coach Nick Nurse. While the Raptors made a promising hire in Darko Rajaković, the roster is in flux. Fred VanVleet could leave, and Atlanta is stepping up its pursuit of Siakam.

Related: Boston Celtics trade for Kristaps Porziņģis

Toronto’s Demands For Siakam Stall Trade Talks

Per Yahoo Sports‘ Jake Fischer, talks between Atlanta and Toronto have stalled due to the Raptor’s high floor for a Siakam trade. “Atlanta has also maintained a pursuit of Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, according to league sources. The Hawks’ have attempted several creative packages to land the All-NBA talent from Toronto, including at least one three-team scenario. Opposing front offices still believe the Raptors’ high valuation of their players, such as Siakam and OG Anunoby, marks the biggest roadblock to any potential trade of either Raptor.”

The language used indicates that the Raptors are likely looking for multiple first-round picks in exchange for Siakam. This is likely too rich a price for many suitors. Despite this, the Raptors are reportedly open to trading him. It’s just a matter of receiving an offer that meets their expectations.

These beliefs have likely been further amplified by recent trade activity. The Raptors will surely want to avoid the fate of the Washington Wizards, who failed to get any guaranteed first-round picks when trading Bradley Beal. Additionally, the Boston Celtics essentially managed to acquire two first-round picks in exchange for Marcus Smart.

Related: Golden State Warriors trade for Chris Paul

While Siakam Might Move, Paul George Likely Won’t

Paul Geroge playing for the LA Clippers against the Toronto Raptors
TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 27: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers dribbles against Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors during the second half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on December 27, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)

While Siakam may yet change teams, one NBA veteran who likely won’t is Paul George. The LA Clippers received some interest, namely from the Blazers, Rockets, and Knicks, for George’s services. However, it now appears that George will be staying in LA for the time being.

The Clippers reportedly turned down an offer that included the third-overall pick from the Blazers. Meanwhile, LA also broke off talks with the Knicks before things progressed too far. While the team was clearly open to trading George, it appears that the interest in the veteran is not where the Clippers would want it to be.

This means that in all likelihood, George will return to anchor the Clippers alongside Kawhi Leonard for at least one more season. Both players have a player option year for the 2024-25 season. However, that could all change if a genuinely enticing offer was made for George’s services.

Related: Charlotte Hornets consider Scoot Henderson with #2 pick

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Trae Young Removes Any Trace Of The Hawks From His Instagram

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Trae Young is currently one of the best point guards in the entire NBA. Overall, he tends to be underrated by the league’s establishment. At just a young age, he has already helped lead his team to the Eastern Conference Finals. Moreover, the Atlanta Hawks are consistently in the playoffs, even when they shouldn’t be. This past season, the team struggled at points, however, Young played some phenomenal basketball. As you can imagine, he is very popular in the city right now.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there looking to bring Trae Young down. This has led to some very peculiar trade rumors over the past few weeks. For instance, it has been said that Young could be on his way to the Los Angeles Lakers. Although, none of this has been confirmed. In fact, during episodes of his new podcast, Young has tried to assure fans that he is staying put. However, his latest move definitely won’t ease any anxiety.

Read More: Trae Young Adidas: Signature Shoes

Trae Young Has Fans Worried

In the tweet above, it was made evident that Trae Young has deleted any trace of the Atlanta Hawks from his Instagram account. Overall, this seems like a weird thing to do in the midst of so many rumors. Although it could be innocent, some believe it is a deliberate showcase of where his head is at. That said, Young, himself has not made any comments suggesting he would like to be traded. One has to assume that Young and Dejounte Murray will be the team’s backcourt headed into next year.

NBA rumors always heat up around this time of year. It is easy to see why this is the case as free agency will start soon after the end of the NBA Finals. For the most part, a lot of these rumors never come to fruition, however, some of them actually do. No matter what, it is going to be very interesting to see how all of this ends up playing out. Let us know what you think will happen with Trae Young, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

Read More: Adidas Trae Young 3 Seemingly Leaks Online

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Jayson Tatum Used A Postgame Interview To Apologize To Janet Jackson After The Celtics Finally Beat The Hawks

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Janet Jackson Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony 2022
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The Boston Celtics were expected to finish off the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5 of their first-round NBA Playoffs series on Tuesday, April 25, but the Hawks won, 119-117, and forced a Game 6 for Thursday, April 27. Free basketball is rarely a bad thing, but in this case, there was a cost.

Janet Jackson already had her Together Again Tour scheduled to stop at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on April 27, meaning State Farm Arena was suddenly double-booked for Jackson and the Hawks’ Game 6.

State Farm Arena announced that Jackson’s concert was rescheduled for Friday, April 28.

Jayson Tatum felt bad for inconveniencing her. The Celtics later took care of the Hawks in Thursday night’s Game 6, 128-120. Tatum finished his on-court postgame interview by apologizing.

“I want to send an apology to the legend Janet Jackson,” the four-time All-Star said with a smile. “We were supposed to close it out in Boston. She had to postpone her show. I hope she sees this. I apologize for that, but we got it done today.”

Jackson seems totally unbothered by the ordeal. She posted highlights from her April 26 show in Atlanta, the first of two nights, and captioned the Instagram post, “Atlanta, show 1 of 2 tonight! See you again Friday (congrats Hawks!) …swipe to see the band’s fave parts of the show. #TogetherAgainTour [basketball emoji].”

Jackson might run into another scheduling issue with the New York Knicks if a Game 5 is needed against the Miami Heat in their Eastern Conference semifinals series, which will begin this Sunday, April 30. A potential Game 5 would be at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, May 10 — Jackson’s second of two nights scheduled at MSG.

Hawks Win Forces Janet Jackson Concert Rescheduling

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Sports scheduling is a tricky business. A team knows exactly where and when they will play their home games during the regular season. This allows the stadium owners to make the venue available for other activities when the home team is on the road.

However, the playoffs are a different beast altogether. In the NBA, all playoff series are played in a best-of-seven format. This means there is a minimum of four games and a maximum of seven. This allows both teams to get a minimum of two home games per series. Currently, a playoff series is played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. This means that after game 4, the teams alternate hosting duties. But because those games aren’t needed, the venue might have been left available on those nights. This uncertainty is now causing some headaches in Atlanta.

Janet Jackson Concert Pushed Back A Night

Janet Jackson was supposed to play at State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks, on April 27. However, April 25 saw the Hawks top the Boston Celtics 119-117 in Game 5 of their NBA Playoff series. The Hawks had been 3-1 down and facing elimination. However, the win meant that the series would necessitate a Game 6…hosted by Atlanta. Suddenly double-booked, State Farm Arena announced that Jackson’s concert would be pushed back a day to April 28. Tickets from the original Thursday show would be honored at the rescheduled event. Furthermore, refunds would be issued for anyone who could not attend the new show.

While some fans have cried foul, the decision makes sense (if necessitated by stupidity). As the arena’s official tenants and primary users, the Hawks likely get first-priority use of the arena. However, there is an element of hilarity in the implication that the Hawks didn’t expect to make it as deep as Game 6. If they had, they would have likely booked the arena ahead of time. Regardless, Jackson fans are unhappy with what they see as preferential treatment for the NBA. Furthermore, the rescheduling now puts Jackson in direct conflict with a Taylor Swift concert at the nearby Mercedes-Benz Stadium. However, we here at HotNewHipHop have a different solution. Janet Jackson, starting point guard for the Atlanta Hawks.

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A Janet Jackson Show Had To Be Postponed After It Was Double-Booked With An Atlanta Hawks Playoff Game

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Janet Jackson 37th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction
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On Sunday, the Boston Celtics secured their third playoff win against the Atlanta Hawks to go up 3-1 against Trae Young and company in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Most people assumed that the Celtics would handle business on Tuesday when the teams returned to Boston to possibly close out the series with a Celtics. Unfortunately for the team up north, the Hawks snuck away with a game 5 win backed by Young’s 38 points to make the series 3-2 and force a game 6 back in Atlanta. That’s good news, right? Well not particularly. A short time after the game, fans noticed that the Hawks’ game 6 matchup was set to take place at the same time and place as Janet Jackson’s Together Again Tour stop in Atlanta.

Yup, that’s right. A scheduling error by the State Farm Arena caused a double-booking of the Hawks’ next playoff game and Janet Jackson’s Together Again Tour stop. Games 5-7 in an NBA playoff series are usually marked as “if necessary” as they won’t be needed if the team accomplishes the coveted four-game sweep. So, the error could have been a result of a slight slip-up in remembering that these games could be needed. Then again, it could have also been an overly confident Hawks fan who believed that their team would sweep the second-rank Boston Celtics in four games. (As a Celtics fan, this reason would be great simply because of the “point-and-laugh” opportunity it gives me now that we’re up 3-2). Nonetheless, a slight error more times than not needs a slight correction.

Chris Haynes, the Senior NBA Insider for TNT & Bleacher Report, reported that the Hawks-Celtics game 6 matchup would take place on Thursday, April 27 while Janet Jackson Together Again Tour stop in Atlanta will be moved to Friday, April 28. Just like that, all is well in Atlanta as the city’s week of entertainment can continue without issue. Let’s just hope the Celtics can finally bring this series to an end.

Anonymous NBA Poll Announces Most Overrated Player

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The NBA has in the most important leg of their season. The opening round of the playoffs has already started with a bang. Including all the drama that took place on Monday night with Draymond Green and Damontas Sabonis. However, it appears as if the league can never run out of fresh drama. This time, the drama will not have a direct person to blame. Because the source doesn’t have a name. However, that doesn’t mean the latest news won’t cause a stir.

The Athletic recently took an anonymous player poll around the league. The range of topics was from best fan base to worst fan base, to even who is the most overrated player in the league. Calling someone overrated is a statement that carries a lot of weight. However, calling someone overrated without repercussions may be a little easier. On the topic of the most overrated player in the game, one name earned the most votes. That name belongs to Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.

Trae Young Voted Most Overrated Player

Young took home the crown of most overrated, an award I’d assume makes him proud. However, there were other big names that received votes in the category. The first stunner would be Damian Lillard. Lillard grabbed nearly 4% of the vote in a category he doesn’t belong in. Dame has long been highly regarded as one of the best to play the game. But for some, those praises may not state the case of who he is as a player. The list is bound to ruffle a few feathers. Including Green, who may not be the best at holding back his feelings.

It is strange that everyone aside from Lillard on this list at least qualified for the play-in tournament this season. Maybe the anonymous voters all played on teams that are currently sitting at home. Whatever the case may be, Young has bigger fish to fry. The Hawks have the huge challenge of trying to take down the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. So, maybe this is the bulletin board material Young needs. Do you believe that Young is the most overrated player in the NBA? If not Young, who earns your vote? Bravely let us know in the comment section. For the latest sports news, keep it locked in here with HNHH.

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Trae Young Doesn’t Confirm Nor Deny Trade Rumors

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Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks are gearing up for the play-in tournament. The Hawks will meet the Miami Heat for a chance at the Eastern Conference seventh seed. However, that hasn’t stopped the NBA rumor mill from mentioning Young. Young has been the topic of recent potential trade discussions. While it would take a lot for the Hawks to deal with their young superstar. But nothing is impossible when regarding an NBA trade. For Young, he has everyone still guessing.

“It could be false, could be true, you never know,” Young answered when speaking with The Athletic. The Hawks star has been an offensive sensation since joining the league. In his time in college, Young was can’t miss television for Oklahoma. The Sooners star was defying the odds of just how far someone can consistently shoot the ball. Obviously, the comparisons with Steph Curry were inevitable. Young has proved there is no range for a dead-eye shooter like him.

Trae Young’s Future Seems Uncertain

Young’s 2022-23 campaign has been exactly what you would expect from him. The two-time all-star averaged 26 points and 10 assists this season. However, the Hawks didn’t make that leap in the Eastern Conference Standings. A potential early exit in the play-in tournament could really heat up the trade rumors. Young was traded on his draft night by the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic. The trade is now known as one of the biggest NBA Draft trades in history. A trade that everyone is uncertain on who actually won.

Trae Young is no stranger to having an unknown future. But the Hawks star isn’t letting his guard down when discussing where he could be next season. The Hawks will have important decisions to make regarding their roster. Obviously, Young would like to see the team climb the Eastern Conference standings. However, that may be difficult to do with the Sixers, Celtics, and Bucks standing in the way. Do you believe Trae Young will be on another team next season? Let us know in the comment section. For the latest NBA trade news, keep it right here with HNHH.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Trae Young Trade Rumored as Possibility in NBA Offseason

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trae young 2

Trae Young’s days in an Atlanta Hawks jersey may be numbered. The point guard is scheduled to lead the Hawks into Miami for a play-in game against the Miami HEAT. If he loses, it could be the last visuals of Trae in the Hawks’ threads.

According to The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor, the front office of the Hawks have the “green light” for all roster moves. Those moves could include Young.

The potential trade comes just two years after the Hawks made a surprise run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. Last playoffs, the Hawks were ousted in round 1. This year, they are on the brink of not making it at all.

The rumors come on the heel sof the midseason hire of Quin Snyder to replace Nate McMillan, the latter had issues with Young in the middle of the season.

The Hawks and Heat play Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on TNT.

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