The Atlanta Hawks were very active at the trade deadline, but fans may still feel overwhelmed.

The team made five midseason trades, starting with Trae Young in January and ending with Luke Kennard on Thursday morning. If we put these moves together as one collective trade, we get:

Received (ranked by long-term value to ATL):

• corey kispert
• CJ McCollum
• buddy hield
• Jonathan Kuminga
• Gabe Vincent
• Jock Landale
• 3 second round picks (2027, 2030, 2032)
• Duoplease (exemption)

Outgoing

• Trae Young
• Kristaps Porzingis
• Vit Craige
• Luke Kennard
• Cash considerations

It’s no wonder some fans are outraged by the way this deadline was handled. Young and Porzingis were worth far more than any of the players Atlanta received in return, and the team didn’t get a single first-round pick. The fans, who are pushing hard for a fifth consecutive play-in appearance, are hoping for a change.

But what these fans are missing is that this deadline was actually a significant change.

The Hawks have taken the first steps needed to rebuild the minor leagues.

Overall rating: B-

I give the Hawks a B- for their deadline maneuver. The team was better than before, but not a single move was a home run.

To illustrate the rationale, let’s go trade by trade.

Trae Young, CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert: C+

The move wasn’t an ideal return for Young, but clearly the rest of the NBA had no interest in the Oklahoma product. McCollum’s contract is up, and Kispert has been amazing in a Hawks uniform.

The Hawks freed up $35 million in cap space with this move, moving them from up to $10 million above the salary cap to up to $15 million below. It looks like Kispert will be a part of Atlanta’s bench long-term. While this is underwhelming, the club was able to fully commit to the Jalen Johnson era. It’s worth noting that league executives also view this trade as a win for the ATL.

Vit Krejci for Duop Reath and two second-round picks: B+

Vit Krejci is good, but this team is redundant. Kispert’s addition pushed him to the back of the rotation despite the absence of Zachary Lizacher.

Had Lizach returned, Krejci would have been completely removed from the rotation. It’s a smart move by the Hawks to get second-seconds back from a player on the edge of the rotation. Since Reece was merely supplementing his salary, the club quickly released him.

Cash considerations for Jock Landale: A+ (low impact)

The Hawks acquired the center for free. That’s the logic. Atlanta’s weak domestic presence has been their Achilles heel all season.

Landale is a flawed player, but he’s certainly a center. Even if it doesn’t exactly move the needle on this Hawks team, acquiring a stretch five with interesting potential is a win again.

Kristaps Porzingis, Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield: C+

Porzingis wasn’t playing. Kuminga and Hield will be participating. With this in mind, there is little doubt that this trade made the Hawks a better team.

Kuminga is an interesting candidate for a potentially expiring contract. I’m cautious about offering Kuminga a long-term contract, but at one point he was a promising young small forward. His career isn’t over yet. Perhaps he can find a new groove after a much-needed change of scenery.

Hield is a fun player with a salary of just $3 million next season. If he does well, perhaps the Hawks can flip him next season. If he doesn’t, well, Atlanta could cut him and move on with minimal impact.

This is a low-risk, high-reward initiative originating from Atlanta. Either way, Porzingis isn’t going to drag this team into the playoffs, and Atlanta has two chances to replace a potentially valuable wing asset.

Luke Kennard for Gabe Vincent and second-round pick: B-

Kennard simply isn’t a very impactful player. He ended his tenure in Atlanta despite holding the active record for lifetime 3-point percentage. 13th most 3-point attempts per 100 possessions As a team. To make matters worse, DARKO, the most trusted advanced statistic in the league, considers him negative as an offensive player. What’s the point of a sniper not firing and reducing the team’s overall attack power?

For Kennard, getting second is highway robbery. Vincent has struggled mightily this season, but Atlanta is in full swing this year, even if the previous four trades didn’t paint a clear enough picture. Both Kennard and Vincent have expiring contracts this offseason, so acquiring a secondary is a solid value proposition for a player coming off the bench.

Again, this deadline was not a home run. But it put Atlanta in position to shoot for the fences. With the 2026 NOP/MIL pick, the Hawks could be in prime position to make a trade and become a serious playoff threat.

All it takes is one of these trades to go through for Atlanta to pull off a big win. This could come in the form of a breakthrough for Kispert, Kuminga, Hield, Landale, or a talented player with a newly acquired second. If the Hawks can get one lucky break, they could be in great shape by this time next season.