Before the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery, the Atlanta Hawks had their target set on selecting the two-way wing from Virginia, De’Andre Hunter. He was viewed as the next man up to continue a rebuild in Atlanta, as he possessed the potential to dominate both sides of the ball.

In two seasons with the Virginia Cavaliers, Hunter averaged 12.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 50.9% from the floor and 41.9% from three. However, his second season was his best. The former four-star recruit accumulated several conference honors in 2019 and won the national championship.

Through the eyes of Hawks executives, they saw a young yet seasoned star who could fill in various holes across the game plan. Hunter’s size and skillset allowed him to score in any area and lock down nearly every position.

Following summer league and training camp, the coaching staff provided Hunter with quality minutes as he proved himself behind the scenes. He lived up to expectations in his rookie season, averaging 12.3 points and 4.5 boards in 63 games.

However, from that point forward, Hunter’s progression in the NBA appeared to stagnate. He missed significant amounts of time due to injury, and when he was active, he seemed to leave a minimal impact on both ends of the court. This led to trade rumors surrounding his future in Atlanta.

In October of 2022, the Hawks signed Hunter to a four-year, $90 million extension. The front office still had faith in his potential, but NBA fans worldwide questioned this decision by Atlanta. They essentially paid an unproven player who has encountered multiple health concerns.

Fast forward to 2024-25, and the decision to pay Hunter seems like less and less of a mistake. He is finally having the career season fans have anticipated for years, adding to why Atlanta has been able to defeat teams like the Celtics and Cavaliers.

In 14 games this season, Hunter is averaging 19.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting an exceptionally high true shooting percentage of 63.4.

What makes this season different from the rest is Hunter’s role in the active rotation. Head coach Quin Snyder felt it was best to bring Hunter off the bench, especially with the development of first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher.

Now, when Hunter checks in, he’s ready to score and make an impact. He attempts excellent shots, moves off the ball, and finishes at a high rate in the paint. Defensively, Hunter’s frame gives him leverage to slide his feet and force a turnover.

Of the nine times Hunter has scored over 20 points this season, his best was in an overtime win against the Los Angeles Lakers. In 34 minutes off the bench, he posted 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting, with five made three-pointers.

The only hurdle in Hunter’s way of winning Sixth Man of the Year is injuries. He must meet the 65-game minimum to be eligible for the award. So far, he has missed 11 games, most of which are due to knee injury management.

That said, Hunter is easily having his best season since being drafted. He is playing winning basketball and is a prominent reason why the Hawks are in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Atlanta Falcons at Las Vegas Raiders Preview:

The 6-7 Atlanta Falcons look to snap their four-game losing streak when they head to Las Vegas to take on the 2-11 Raiders.

The season for the Falcons got off to a hot start. They were 6-3 and had a comfortable lead in the NFC South. Now, they find themselves one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on this skid.

Kirk Cousins’s Minnesota homecoming was spoiled last weekend when they lost to the Vikings. They were outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter, and Cousins was not good. He threw two interceptions and did not throw a touchdown pass. He has yet to throw a touchdown during their four-game losing streak. He’s also thrown eight interceptions in that time.

He now gets a head-to-head match against former Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder.

Listen to the Bet the Edge podcast as hosts Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick provide listeners with sharp actionable insight, market analysis and statistical data to help bettors gain more information before placing their wagers. So, whether you’re targeting spreads and totals, looking for value in futures markets or circling player props, give their podcast a listen to give you that extra edge.

How to Watch Atlanta Falcons at Las Vegas Raiders Live on Sunday:

• Date: Monday, December 16, 2024
• Time: 8:30 PM ET
• Site: Allegiant Stadium
• City: Las Vegas, NV
• TV/Streaming: ESPN

Latest Game Odds for Falcons at Raiders – Week 15:

The latest odds as of Friday morning courtesy of DraftKings:

• Moneyline: Atlanta Falcons (-200), Las Vegas Raiders (+175)
• Spread: Falcons -4
• Total: 44.5

NBC Sports Bet Best Bets:

NBC Sports analyst Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) recommends betting on Bijan Robinson over 80.5 rushing yards…

Thomas: “Las Vegas’ rush defense isn’t bad. They are only giving up 117.6 rushing yards per game. However, given the lack of success Cousins is having through the air, the Falcons have no other reason but to lean on Robinson. In back-to-back games, he’s run the ball over 20 times. It’s clear they plan to pound the rock with Robinson. Being a 4-point favorite and the team likely to win, I like Robinson to go off on Monday.”

Falcons at Raiders Team Stats, Betting Trends:

• The Falcons are 5-8 ATS this season.
• The Raiders are 5-8 ATS this season.
• The Raiders have covered the spread in eight of their last 10 home games against teams with losing records.
• The Falcons have lost four games in a row.
• The Over is 8-5 in Raiders’ games this season

Quarterback Matchup for Falcons at Raiders:

• Falcons: Kirk Cousins – Cousins has not been good this season. He has not thrown a touchdown in four straight games and has thrown eight interceptions in that time.
• Raiders: Desmond Ridder – Ridder gets the start over his former team after Adian O’Connell went down last game.

Player News & Injuries:

Falcons:

• DT Ruke Orhorhoro (ankle) is on the IR
• DE Zach Harrison (knee) is questionable
• LB Troy Andersen (knee) is questionable
• RB Jase McClellan (knee) is on the IR
• WR Casey Washington (concussion) is questionable

Raiders:

• WR Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is questionable
• QB Aidan O’Connell (knee) is questionable
• DE Maxx Crosby (ankle) is questionable
• DT Adam Butler (concussion) is questionable
• CB Nate Hobbs (ankle) is questionable

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest and tools for the NFL, including game predictions, player props, futures, and trends!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

The Atlanta Hawks just pulled off one of their best and most complete wins of the year. They took down the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals with a convincing 108-100 win largely fueled by their defense and interior scoring. Their perimeter defense played a major role in slowing down Jalen Brunson (14 points on 5-15 shooting) and keeping Karl-Anthony Towns quiet from three-point range (2-6 from deep). Per Cleaning the Glass, the Hawks are currently 14th in the NBA in opponent points per possession and 6th in turnover percentage forced.

While this upwards trajectory is good to see, Atlanta should think about building upon it even more. There are multiple pieces available for trade that could upgrade the Hawks’ defense without cripping their limited pool of assets. Although a player like Herb Jones may prove to be too expensive for Atlanta to acquire, could the Hawks turn to the Brooklyn Nets for a solution?

The Nets have three obvious trade candidates on their roster in Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith (DFS) and Dennis Schroder. While the Hawks may not be able to land Johnson due to his excellent two-way abilities (18.8 points on a true shooting percentage of 65.9 to go with standout defense), Finney-Smith might be a more realistic acquistion for Atlanta. That isn’t to say Johnson cannot be moved in the same deal. A three-team deal where the Nets send Johnson to a team desperately in need of his services could also result in the Hawks adding DFS to their rotation.

One logical destination for Johnson is the Warriors. While he fits on practically any team, the Warriors are sorely in need of more offensive creation and two-way ability around Steph Curry. They are 14th in three-point shooting and currently struggle to generate offense when Curry is not carrying the load. Those issues became particularly evident down the stretch of their recent loss in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals to the Houston Rockets. Their 91-90 loss was marked by a turnover-filled stretch in the fourth quarter that essentially eliminated all hopes of a comeback.

How would a three-team deal between these teams look?

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks should do or will do. That is all.

Here is what a possible framework could look like:

Atlanta Hawks get: Dorian Finney-Smith

Brooklyn Nets get: Larry Nance Jr, Gary Payton II, Kyle Anderson, Jonathan Kuminga, 2025 1st round pick (via GSW), 2025 1st round pick (via Sacramento, from Atlanta, top-12 protected) and 2027 1st round pick (via GSW, top-5 protected)

Golden State Warriors get: Cameron Johnson, David Roddy

Why the Hawks would do this trade: DFS’s abilities as a 3&D wing who can provide spacing would fit very well into Atlanta’s rotation. He is shooting 43.2% on 5.5 attempts from deep and has the size/agility to guard wings on the perimeter. While he has slowed down on defense, he can still contribute to the Hawks’ solid defensive infrastructure. He would also be a good fill-in for a Jalen Johnson injury and the 2025 1st round pick from Sacramento likely won’t convey to Atlanta.

Why the Hawks would not do this trade: DFS’s health has to be questioned. He’s relatively durable, but he still missed 14 games last season. At 31 years of age, it’d be reasonable to expect 14-20 missed games for this year as well. Furthermore, his percentage from deep should regress to somewhere closer to the 35.8% he has for his career. That regression could severely compromise his effectiveness in Atlanta. His skillset is also somewhat redundant with DeAndre Hunter, but I would argue that you can never have enough skilled wings in the modern NBA.

Why the Nets would do this trade: Three first-round picks and Jonathan Kuminga for Johnson and Finney-Smith is a pretty good return for two players that are not part of Brooklyn’s long-term future. This deal would also put them in prime position to snag practically any 2025 NBA Draft prospect they are interested in. Considering the depth of the class, this move could accelerate Brooklyn’s rebuild significantly. They also get a veteran presence to build up their culture and improve the overall cohesion of their lineups in Larry Nance Jr. Nance’s ability as a shooter also gives the Nets a different look at center when Nic Claxton is on the bench.

Why the Nets would not do this trade: The Sacramento pick likely will not convey to Brooklyn, so the return for Brooklyn is more realistically two first-round picks and some second rounders. Nance likely will not be part of the roster’s long-term future and it’s possible that a more desparate team would give them more pick equity for Finney-Smith.

Why the Warriors would do this trade: Johnson is a volume shooter who can make quick decisions with the ball and holds up on defense. In short, he’s a perfect fit for the Warriors system and he would improve their spacing significantly. He has showed growth as a primary offensive option for Brooklyn, so there should be limited concern about how he would handle a big offensive role for the Warriors. Roddy has not made a huge impact in his time with Atlanta, but his size (6’4, 256 lbs) make him an intriguing option at power forward if the Warriors can improve his shooting.

Why the Warriors would not do this trade: Golden State might be concerned over giving up significant draft capital to add a player who is below All-Star level. While Johnson is an excellent fit for their system, he is 28 and likely cannot elevate his game beyond elite role player status. The Warriors might want to spend those picks on a player who can deliver a more significant impact as a scorer.