All-in superstar moves are out of style, but a Jalen Williams trade is the exception. Here's why the Hawks should pursue the Thunder star if he's available.
For the most part, I've panned superstar trade ideas for the Atlanta Hawks in this space, partly because of where the NBA is heading. All-in moves for win-now superstars are falling out of fashion, and it's looking more viable to play the long game, develop the players you draft, and see how far they can take you.
There are exceptions to every rule, though. The perfect Hawks target would be a young shot creator who doesn't drag down the defense and still fits inside the 25-and-under club. The Oklahoma City Thunder's Jalen Williams checks every one of those boxes, and he'd be a perfect acquisition.
Hawks Linked to Star Thunder Player
Let's start with the obvious: the Thunder are unlikely to move Williams this summer. He may seem injury-prone, but that's not reason enough to move him. Williams was integral to last season's title run and projects as a perfect second option behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a multipositional defender who can hit tough, contested jumpers, and that skill set doesn't grow on trees.
The 2025-26 season was a rough one for Williams, but the year before tells the real story. In 2024-25, he averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists with a 4.0 Box Plus/Minus (BPM) and a 57.3 True Shooting % (TS%). Williams is the rare star with role-player qualities, and when he's healthy he doesn't hurt you anywhere on the floor.
Even so, there are rumors the Thunder could shop him. The team is rapidly approaching the second apron, and Ajay Mitchell's breakout has complicated its financial outlook. Trading Williams would feel like throwing the baby out with the bathwater, but stranger things have happened. If Oklahoma City does decide to move him, the Hawks should be willing to offer anyone and anything that isn't Jalen Johnson.
Hawks Should Go All-In to Pursue Williams if He's Available
That's not to say Johnson is more valuable than Williams; at full health, it's roughly a toss-up. The point is that there's no sense in trading one star for another. The Hawks should be looking to pair Williams with Johnson, not choose between them.
Beyond Johnson, Atlanta should send whatever it takes. Roundtable's Ashish Mathur recently floated a proposal built around Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Buddy Hield, and the No. 8 pick in the upcoming draft, and the Hawks should be willing to attach another future unprotected first-round pick or two if that's what gets it done.
It's probably a pipe dream. With only two teams left standing, we're practically in the offseason, and the Thunder likely aren't looking to move Williams this summer. But if they are, he's one target the Hawks should go out and get.
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