Deandre Ayton came into the NBA with a lot of hype to become a potential All-Star when he was selected with the first pick in the 2018 Draft.

While he has been unable to reach his full potential, Ayton is still a solid player who is coming off a season where he averaged 16.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 57.0% from the field in 55 games for the Portland Trail Blazers.

I believe the Atlanta Hawks should try to land Ayton in a trade with the Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers are one of the worst teams in the NBA and are coming off a season where they were the 15th seed with a 21-61 record.

Ayton still has two years and $70 million left on his contract, and he doesn’t make sense on a rebuilding roster.

A potential trade could be centered around the Hawks sending the Trail Blazers Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr.

The Trail Blazers would get two expiring contracts that they could flip for assets.

On the other hand, the Hawks would be taking a low-risk chance on a player who has not lived up to his potential.

At just 26, Ayton is hitting the prime of his career, and playing with All-Star point guard Trae Young could unlock new parts of his offensive game.

The Hawks are a team that is trying to win, and Ayton would have the ability to help them get back to the NBA playoffs in 2025.