The Hawks Received a Player and Cash for a Protected Pick
Atlanta acquired DeAndre Liggins and cash from the Los Angeles Clippers in September 2017. In return, the Clippers were due a 2018 second-round selection protected through the fifty-fifth choice. The terms meant Atlanta was unlikely to surrender a pick unless it landed near the very end of the second round. Liggins brought a defensive reputation from earlier NBA stops, but the more reliable part of Atlanta's package was the cash attached to the transaction. This was a roster-financing move rather than a bet on another starting guard.
Liggins Did Not Become a Hawks Rotation Fixture
Liggins had enough NBA experience to offer a temporary evaluation opportunity, particularly as a perimeter defender. Nevertheless, he did not establish a continuing Atlanta playing role after arriving. His earlier appearances for other franchises cannot be added to the Hawks' return from this transaction. Atlanta was more interested in the contract and financial structure than in changing its defensive identity around one reserve guard. That distinction prevents the receipt of a recognizable player's name from being mistaken for substantial new game production.
The Conditional Pick Never Became a Clippers Selection
The Clippers accepted rights to a heavily protected future second-round choice, but the condition was not met and the selection did not convey. As a result, they didn't obtain a player drafted with that asset from this specific exchange. The terms were understandable for a modest September deal, but the eventual outcome gave Los Angeles little direct basketball value. The team had effectively attached cash to moving Liggins's contract for an opportunity dependent on a narrow draft condition that ultimately failed to materialize.
Atlanta Kept Its Draft Asset and Took the Guaranteed Return
The Hawks came out ahead in a transaction with limited stakes. They received cash, evaluated a player and ultimately avoided losing the protected second-round selection. That didn't build a championship roster or generate an important Hawks guard season, but it was favorable relative to what the Clippers received. The F grade for Los Angeles reflects the failure of the incoming condition rather than a claim that every small cap transaction must produce a new star. Atlanta's B- recognizes a useful financial outcome secured at little actual draft cost.
Final Verdict
Hawks Win. Atlanta earns B- for obtaining cash and DeAndre Liggins without surrendering a conveyed 2018 second-round pick, though Liggins produced no lasting Hawks rotation role. The Clippers receive F because their heavily protected draft compensation never became a usable selection. The deal provided Atlanta a tangible financial benefit while yielding essentially no direct basketball return for Los Angeles.