Dejounte Murray and Trae Young are tasked with getting the Hawks back among the East elite.
It seems like more than three years ago since the Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals, if only because they regressed while the competition improved. There’s a sense in Atlanta that a rebound is in the works, however, for a team with a pair of potential All-Stars.
But speaking of rebounding, the Hawks need better efficiency from Trae Young, whose long-distance shooting cooled considerably last season.
What’s new?
- If it’s true that you cannot have too many shooters, the Hawks are subscribing to that theory, adding Patty Mills and Wesley Matthews to a team with Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Saddiq Bey and AJ Griffin.
- The John Collins era is no more in Atlanta after it moved him to Utah and will likely elevate Onyeka Okongwu in that spot.
- The Hawks used their first-round draft pick on Kobe Bufkin, a sharpshooting guard from Michigan. He’ll likely need time the player development program before he cracks the rotation.
How far can the Hawks go?
The Hawks at their best are one of a handful of teams sitting on the edge of a guaranteed playoff spot. Young and Dejounte Murray (who signed a four-year extension in the offseason) form a terrific backcourt. Atlanta will also have a full season under the leadership of coach Quin Snyder, who must sharpen the Hawks’ defense.
1 player that must take a leap
De’Andre Hunter. The Hawks showed good faith by extending De’Andre Hunter a few summers ago but his progression still awaits a generous leap. Hunter does a few things well, but nothing great. He could replace Collins as the Hawks player most often in trade rumors.
In-Season Tournament
The Hawks are in East Group A. Here’s a refresher on how the In-Season Tournament works.
Upcoming free agents
The Hawks have seven players who will be free agents in 2024:
- Onyeka Okongwu
- Saddiq Bey
- Seth Lundy
- Chris Silva
- Patty Mills
- Wesley Matthews
- Miles Norris
Okongwu has a golden chance to land decent money next summer because his minutes are expected to increase. Will he introduce a mid-range shot to go along with his steady rebounding and defense? Bey is a complimentary player the Hawks would love to keep.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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