"It may get to the point where it's clear the Hawks need to make a trade, but they're not there yet.

I bring this up now because of a rumor passed along Monday by pal Sekou Smith of NBA.com that the Detroit Pistons were looking to trade Tayshaun Prince (possibly packaging him with Will Bynum) to the Hawks for Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague.

First, about the deal. The Pistons are denying it. Just as well because it stinks for the Hawks.

Expect Crawford's name to come up in several trade rumors. He is in the final year of his contract, isn't happy about about the fact the Hawks haven't made a move to extend his deal and there is interest in him from other teams. But to deal a proven scorer like Crawford and a potential starting point guard like Teague - more on him shortly - you can do a lot better than Prince. He turns 31 in a few months, he'll be a free agent at the end of the season and he's far more of a defensive stopper than a scoring threat."