The Atlanta Hawks are a forgotten team in the Eastern Conference, but they have made a move to upgrade as they push for a high playoff seed. They have reportedly acquired Kirk Hinrich from the Washington Wizards in a trade involving a package centered around Mike Bibby.
David Aldridge of NBA.com was the first to report the parameters of the trade, which also involves the Wizards receiving the Hawks' 2011 first-round pick and Jordan Crawford.
Wiz trading Hinrich/Hilton Armstrong 2 ATL 4 Jordan Crawford, Bibby, Mo Evans, first
The trade provides the Hawks with a defensive upgrade at point guard, where Bibby had lost a step. Hinrich has bounced back and is having the best shooting year of his career, and he has plenty of playoff experience. It's a definite upgrade for them, and they only add $500,000 to their payroll for next season.
The Wizards, meanwhile, continue their philosophy of rebuilding around young talent and stockpiling draft picks. Hinrich was not turning them into a playoff contender, and they were able to get younger by trading him. The team seems to covet Crawford, and the first-round pick is likely to be in the late teens or early 20s.