This Hawks-Pelicans trade proposal swaps two starting centers

One NBA writer is proposing that the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans make a blockbuster trade centered on Clint Capela and Jonas Valanciunas.

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report proposed that the Hawks trade Capela and a 2024 second-round pick to the Pelicans for Valanciunas. For Hughes’ trade to work, the Pelicans need to trim $3.6 million in salary.

A key motivation for the Pelicans would be to address rim protection, which has been expressed as being a need earlier this offseason. Capela is a proven talent in this regard, while Valanciunas’ impact is limited to mostly playing drop coverage without being a shot blocker. The Hawks could benefit from moving Capela’s salary in order to fully utilize Onyeka Okongwu as he enters a contract year.

“On draft night, Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin told reporters his team was still ‘looking for rim protection.’ We’re giving them some in the form of Capela, who held opponents to a 58.9 percent conversion rate inside six feet last year, a significantly better figure than the 65.3 percent Jonas Valančiūnas permitted,” Hughes wrote.

Both Capela and Valanciunas have been in trade rumors this summer. The former averaged 12.0 points and 11.0 rebounds last season for the Hawks, while the latter put up 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the Pelicans.

The Hawks lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2023 playoffs in six games. Meanwhile, the Pelicans didn’t make the postseason after losing the 9-10 play-in game at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It will be fascinating to see if Capela and Valanciunas are on new teams next season. Both centers could use fresh starts since their respective teams are constantly dangling them in trade talks.