Atlanta Hawks trade rumors: Hawks may trade Millsap midseason

Heading into the new season of the National Basketball Association, the Atlanta Hawks look like a different ball club.

Last year, they had multiple pieces as they had a reliable center and a star point guard. Now, those players are gone but they still have enough pieces to justify a good job in the Eastern Conference. However, the question remains as to whether or not it will bring them to the heights they are hoping to reach.

While the Hawks' fans are hopeful, rumor has it that they could eventually trade one of their stars if they fail to contend in the East. The star being linked to a move is forward Paul Millsap.

He has been one of the better players for the Hawks since arriving in the 2013-14 season. Now entering his fourth year with the team, Millsap is a three-time NBA All-Star, earning those appearances all in an Atlanta Hawks uniform.

He averages 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his career, but has stepped up his game when he arrived in Georgia.

With Atlanta, Millsap averages 17.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He has also been shooting 47 percent from the field and is a reliable 34per cent from beyond the arc.

However, the forward is now nearing his mid-30s and with that, he would likely want to be in a position where he will succeed and get paid most.

Millsap signed a three-year $60 million deal with the Hawks back in 2015 and that it expire by the end of the 2017-18 season.

In that final year, he has a player option and is likely to pick that up to see who would give him the most money or would put him in a situation where he can win a championship.

If Atlanta cannot do that, then it is likely he would walk away. With that in mind, the Hawks may very well try to shop the forward in the middle of the season in order to get the most out of him.

These are all still mere speculations but if it were to happen, then there would be no shortage of teams trying to lure Millsap in.