Pricey for trade

Dennis Schroder was, if nothing else, candid during a news conference he held in Germany last month. Asked about his views heading into the 2018-19 season, he made no secret of his desire to change addresses. The Hawks, he noted, were rebuilding, not exactly the situation he envisioned himself to be in through his best years. “I will be 25 in September, and, of course, you want to win a title sometime. In my prime — 23, 36, 27, 28, 29 — I want to compete,” he contended.

In this regard, Schroder bared plans to sit down with Hawks management and discuss his options. And while he did note that staying put would be ideal, he went on to break ties with the franchise on social media, as clear a message that he could send regarding his preference. Never mind the seeming disconnect between his gaze at the Larry O’Brien Trophy and his mention of the Pacers and the Bucks as ideal destinations. With due credit to, and for all, the latter’s advances, better alternatives abound were he really intent on wrapping his arms around hardware.

Needless to say, the Hawks got the message. In last week’s rookie draft, they traded their third pick to the Mavericks and used their downgraded position to take guard Trae Young, whom advanced analytics pegged to reach All- Star status with the same probability as Number One pick Deandre Ayton. General manager Travis Schlenk was, no doubt, swayed by his experience with the Warriors and what he saw of Steph Curry’s development to project the rookie’s career track. At the same time, he got insurance for Schroder’s possible departure.

At this point, the Hawks will most certainly be dangling their leading scorer and playmaker to interested parties. While Schroder will be a willing participant in the process, however, his relatively expensive contract is a problem. He’s due $46.5 million over the next three years, numbers that don’t quite match his skill set in today’s cap-tight environment. In other words, long faces may be in the offing, and not just because yet another losing season awaits.