Though Melo will not play a single second in a Hawks uniform, the team was able to finagle a 2022 lottery-protected first round pick out of the Thunder, while also obtaining a low-risk, low-cost flyer in Justin Anderson from the 76ers.
This was an excellent deal from the Hawks’ perspective, but it does beg the question: How will the Hawks look on the court in the 2018-19 season?
First off, the loss of Mike Muscala as a prototypical stretch five will be deeply felt, but with the Hawks drafting a more athletic and younger replacement in Omari Spellman, it’s not as much of an issue in terms of on-court changes.