The Atlanta Hawks saw their star big man Al Horford going down with a season-ending shoulder injury and instantly several concerns about the team’s course arose. Horford was the starting center for Atlanta, the leading scorer and rebounder. Nonetheless, despite his absence, the Atlanta Hawks have managed to retain their high level of performance and they are doing just fine.

Just after Horford went down, lots of discussions about a potential trade started. The Hawks were rumored to have interest in shipping their dominant big man and receive another big man, who could fill in for him this season. Nonetheless, the team’s recent results have shown that Atlanta can be very dangerous even without Horford in the lineup and they should just wait for him to come back healthy next season.

After their victory against the defending champions, Miami Heat, the Hawks regained the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They now have a 21-19 record and unless another major unfortunate incident occurs, they should be considered a lock for the playoffs. We could say that Atlanta is one of the strongest favorites for the third seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the Heat and the Indiana Pacers.

Mike Budenholzer has managed to adjust the rotation of the team and also the way the team plays on both ends so Horford’s void is filled. Of course, the rookie Pero Antic has done a terrific job filling in for Horford. As a matter of fact, thanks to his long-range shooting abilities, the Hawks now stretch opposing defenses more thus allowing Paul Millsap more space to work inside.

Atlanta is also shooting the ball very well from the floor and from three-point territory. Kyle Korver, Lou Williams, DeMarre Carroll, Antic, Shelvin Mack and Mike Scott can all punish their opponents if they can find a small opening to bomb from deep. So it’s fair to say that in a way, Horford’s absence has allowed the Hawks to find another identity and be almost as dangerous as they were before.

Of course, with Al Horford on board, the Hawks would be complete, at their full power. The team’s recent success doesn’t mean that Atlanta is better without him. On the contrary, Horford’s significance to the team is great. What it means is that the Hawks should not rush into seeking a trade for the star big man.

Horford has two more seasons in his contract, not including the current one. He is owed $12 million annually. Although this season is lost for him, his contract can be considered a good one for Atlanta, considering what he brings to the team. Could the Hawks get the most out of another player for this amount of money? Maybe. Maybe not.

If and when a good trade opportunity comes up, the Atlanta Hawks could think about trading away their big man. Nonetheless, at present, this doesn’t seem like the best option. After all, at the age of 27, Horford is in his prime and has still much to offer to the team.

Ron Leyba is the lead editor of www.fantasybasketballmoneyleagues.com. For more of his write-ups and updates, follow @NBAFantasyInfo on Twitter. Follow our site @lastwordonsport while you are at it.

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