Atlanta Hawks Trade Point Guard Jeff Teague to Indiana as Part of Three-Team Trade With Utah

(photo credit: cbssports.com)

The Atlanta Hawks are sending starting point guard Jeff Teague to the Indiana Pacers as part of a three-team deal with the Utah Jazz. Pacers point guard George Hill will be traded to Utah, and the Jazz are sending the 12^th pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft to the Hawks. 

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Hawks are shopping the 12^th and 21^st pick in order to create flexibility to sign free agents Al Horford and Kent Bazemore. ESPN reported that Horford is being heavily pursued by other teams, as the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, and Detroit Pistons are all targeting Horford. Teague posted on Instagram earlier this month that he played the entire season with a torn patellar tendon in his knee. Teague didn’t require surgery following an MRI taken after the Hawks were eliminated from the postseason. 

Teague, 27, played in 79 regular season games this year, averaging 15.7 points and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. However in 10 postseason games, he averaged 14.5 points per game, while shooting 38% from the field. Hill averaged 12.1 points and 3.4 assists per game after playing 74 regular season games for the Pacers. 

Hill, 30, averaged 13.6 points and 2.1 assists in the Pacers seven-game series loss to the Raptors. Teague and Hill are both scheduled to make $8 million next season, and they will both be unrestricted free agents after the season. Teague significantly upgrades the Pacers backcourt, as he will bring more offense to the table then Hill did.

 Hill will add defense and depth to the Jazz backcourt, as nobody knows the status of Dante Exum for the upcoming season. With Teague being traded, the Hawks will likely be starting Dennis Schroder in his place. He averaged 15.3 points and 4.8 assists in a second round defeat to the eventual NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers.