Inside the Hawks’ film room, head coach Lloyd Pierce and his players had candid conversations surrounding the NBA’s Thursday trade deadline. The main lesson that echoed in the room is that until the deadline, the control that each player covets is nonexistent.



“The positive way to look at it is somebody wants you if you’re moved,” Pierce said. “The other positive is once the trade deadline comes and goes, wherever you end up, you are still in the NBA.”



Pierce told the players about his conversations with general manager Travis Schlenk during the past couple of months about rumors, speculation and thoughts on how to improve the Hawks. The transparency is something that Pierce believes every team should focus on when it comes to trade rumors.



So with the deadline looming, the team went around and talked about how to process the possibility of getting traded. Miles Plumlee, who has been dealt four times, spoke. Vince...