According to NBA insider Michael Scotto on Thursday, the Atlanta Hawks have identified Kristaps Porzingis as a potential trade asset. They are expected to continue shopping Porzingis before the February trade deadline, seeking a solution that could significantly strengthen the team.

Kristaps Porzingis, 30, is a 2.18-meter tall, 109-kilogram Latvian forward who entered the NBA in 2015 as the fourth overall pick in the first round. He has played for the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, and Boston Celtics, accumulating 501 regular season games, averaging 19.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game, and winning the 2024 NBA championship with the Celtics.

However, frequent injuries have consistently hampered Porzingis's career development. To make matters worse, he suffered from postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) during last season's playoffs: according to medical experts, POTS is an autonomic nervous system disorder that causes a sharp increase in heart rate when standing. If not treated properly, it can easily lead to extreme fatigue or dizziness.

Due to health issues, Porzingis was traded from the Celtics to the Hawks in a three-team deal in June. His current contract, worth $30.73 million, expires at the end of this season.

So far this season, Porzingis has played 13 regular season games for the Hawks, averaging 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game, with a field goal percentage of 49.7% and a three-point percentage of 36.4%. Since November 13, he has missed 10 of the 14 regular season games due to a recurrence of a previous injury and will undergo further evaluation over the next two weeks.

With his old injury recurring, Porzingis' future with the Hawks has been clouded. According to Scotto, the Hawks are expected to evaluate Porzingis' trade value before the deadline and hope to acquire a player who can provide immediate impact.

The Hawks currently sit ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 15-13 record, still holding onto playoff hopes. They plan to further enhance their roster depth through trades while developing their young core.