The Atlanta Hawks recently had one of the NBA’s best off-seasons. They shipped away players that didn’t fit, brought in new talent, and upgraded significantly through the draft. Their young roster, led by the star prowess of Trae Young, will certainly shock fans in pursuit of a playoff spot.
The former first-round pick, Jalen Johnson, will also breakthrough for an all-star campaign. He is now crowned as the second option, with the capability to cause chaos on both ends of the court. There is no weakness in what Johnson brings to the city of Atlanta.
Key Additions:
With the first overall pick, Atlanta’s front office remained certain on selecting Risacher from France. He is arguably the best three-point shooter in his draft class with a lengthy six-foot-nine frame. He will receive several open looks with one of the world’s best playmakers on his team.
Given how talented the Pelicans were at point guard, Daniels did not receive a fair opportunity to showcase what he is capable of. However, he displayed flashes of elite defense and playmaking. This caught the eye of Atlanta’s front office, coercing them into demanding Daniels in any trade discussions.
Key Losses:
Following two complete seasons with the Hawks, the front office decided it was best to move on from Murray, a two-way veteran guard. He prospered into an excellent option for Atlanta, but over time it became evident he wasn’t the right fit. Murray was inevitably going to be traded before the start of training camp.
Griffin, a former first-round pick, was on pace to become a significant contributor for the Hawks. With more opportunity, the ball would find his hands, giving Atlanta a strong chance to win ball games. Conversely, Griffin announced he was stepping away from basketball for personal reasons. This is a major loss for head coach Quin Snyder and his staff.
Starting Lineup: PG Trae Young, SG Bogdan Bogdanovic, SF Risacher, PF Jalen Johnson, C Clint Capela
Bench: Daniels, Kobe Bufkin, De’Andre Hunter, Larry Nance Jr., Onyeka Okongwu, David Roddy
Reserves: Vit Krejci, Garrison Mathews, Cody Zeller, Keaton Wallace (TW), Seth Lundy (TW)
Currently, the Hawks roster consists of multiple young players who appear prepared to crush the Eastern Conference. Despite losing a star like Murray, they gained quality role players to flood the rotations. This could be game-changing on both sides of the ball.
Season Outlook:
Although many fans expect the Hawks to miss the playoffs, they could quickly break the gates and jump to a hot start. If that’s the case, they would be able to wipe out their competition in the most talented Eastern Conference of all time.
Projected Finish:
Record: 42-42
Projected Finish: Seventh in the Eastern Conference
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