It's no secret that the Western Conference is loaded with teams that are NBA Championship caliber, which makes it hard to get to the NBA Finals. Former Virginia Tech standout Nickel Alexander-Walker witnessed it first-hand the last two seasons.
The Minnesota Timberwolves made the Western Conference Final the last two seasons, only to lose to the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 and the Oklahoma City Thunder this postseason. Now, with teams like the Houston Rockets, Mavericks, Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Los Angeles Clippers all loading up, Alexander-Walker is heading to the Eastern Conference for what he hopes is a better shot of winning.
Nickel Alexander-Walker headed to the Atlanta Hawks
In a three-team trade, Alexander-Walker is headed to the Atlanta Hawks to team up with Trae Young after getting a new four-year, $62 million contract. As part of the deal, the Hawks are sending a second-round draft pick in 2027 to the Cleveland Cavaliers and cash to the Timberwolves to complete the sign-and-trade to get Alexander-Walker, per Shams Charania.
Also joining Atlanta was Luke Kennard, a sharpshooter from behind the arc, according to Charania, Young reached out to both players to recruit them to come to Atlanta.
Alexander-Walker was a key player off the bench in Minnesota and head coach Chris Finch. He averaged 9.4 points a game, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 44% from the field. When he got hot from behind the arc, he was a big difference-maker, and with Atlanta acquiring Alexander-Walker, Kennard, and Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics, it allows the Hawks to spread the floor next season.
I'm not saying that Atlanta is going to run the table in the Eastern Conference next season and make the NBA Finals, but there is no question that the road in the East is much easier than it is in the West.