Atlanta received veterans Richard Jefferson and Kay Felder along with cash and two second-round rights from Cleveland in October 2017. The Cavaliers obtained the draft rights to Sergiy Gladyr and Dimitrios Agravanis. The inherited Hawks Win grades Atlanta A- and Cleveland C-; immediate NBA on-court benefits were limited.
The Hawks agreed to take Richard Jefferson and Kay Felder from Cleveland in October 2017, receiving cash and future second-round rights. In return, the Cavaliers took draft rights to Sergiy Gladyr and Dimitrios Agravanis. The deal mainly served roster-management objectives after Cleveland reconfigured the fringes of a veteran contender. Atlanta was prepared to accept contracts in exchange for additional draft and financial value.
Jefferson had extensive experience as a wing and had won a championship in Cleveland, while Felder was a young point guard whose role had been limited. Neither arrived to anchor Atlanta's rotation for several years. Their prior Cavaliers appearances should not be credited to the Hawks. The more meaningful compensation was the accompanying cash and pick rights rather than an invented stretch of productive Atlanta starting minutes.
The incoming 2019 second-round choice was later associated with No. 41 Eric Paschall, but any rights moves must be considered before counting his NBA career as Atlanta production. The 2020 conditional second-round right did not convey. Atlanta also received three million dollars in the recorded agreement. Cleveland acquired two overseas-player rights, not immediate veteran NBA players, making the return predominantly administrative for both franchises.
The inherited A- Hawks grade favors taking on contracts in return for draft and financial compensation. Cleveland's C- reflects a smaller direct asset return but the benefit of freeing roster flexibility. Because the incoming veterans did not become Atlanta core players, the transaction's value should not be described as a major on-court upgrade. It was a creative use of trade capacity during two clubs' different roster stages.
Hawks Win. Atlanta earns A- for receiving Richard Jefferson, Kay Felder, cash and second-round assets, especially the 2019 right later tied to Eric Paschall. Cleveland gets C- for rights to Sergiy Gladyr and Dimitrios Agravanis, alongside roster flexibility. The Hawks' advantage was financial and draft-related rather than sustained playing production from either veteran.