Atlanta Hawks Team Review

 

2020-21 Finish: 14-68

 

Season Highlight:

The Hawks had a really tough year turning in 20 wins less than the previous year and subsequently finishing bottom of the Eastern standings. Thus, it�s not an easy task finding a bright spot. You could argue that having three teams in the West with a worse record, and then still landing the #2 pick, was a really nice boost or maybe getting more than half a healthy season out of the oft injured young big Marvin Bagley, was a win too. In reality though, the Hawks set themselves for this fall and landing that #2 pick was the just reward for putting yourself through the torture of a losing season having sent away the likes of Joel Embiid and DeMar DeRozan in the offseason.

 

Season Lowlight:

It has to be 14 wins and bottom of the East as even a mention, even if that�s what you set for to start the year. However if you look deeper, the lowlight in my opinion was how this record came about. They arguably could have been a far better team even with the big names being shipped out, but they got only a quarter of the season each from Cam Reddish and DeAndre Hunter, which is a development stifling thing too. Bagley was healthier, but still missed half the year and despite playing all 82 games, they saw a regression from their prized big man offseason acquisition in Jaxson Hayes also. You can suffer a losing year much better if you get to watch your kids at least play and start to show what the future will look like, rather than having to rely on games from now renounced vets like Cory Joseph, Aron Baynes and Ed Davis.

 

Best Trade:

Hawks send: Carmelo Anthony
Hawks get: Timothe Luwawu-Caberrot and 2021 1^st Round Pick 30

This might be the most simple trade they made all year, but it pretty much stands alone in terms of value. Melo as we know is a 2k baller and serviceable player, but you�re rebuilding and you manage to turn a 36 year old on a 1 year minimum deal into a young rotational wing and a 1^st round pick�all be it pick 30. This only makes sense for the other team if they are on the cusp of a championship.

 

Worst Trade:

Hawks send: Mike Conley
Hawks get: Eric Paschall, Aron Baynes, Charlotte 2022 2^nd and Portland 2025 2nd

This stands out like a sore thumb when you look at the transaction page. Mike had a great bounce back year and shaped up as recommitting to his NBA team all year too, meaning no rental, and all you get for a legit starting PG and difference maker is a borderline rotational forward and two future (one distant) high 20s 2^nd round picks.

 

Other Notable Trades:

Hawks send: DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Beverley and Andre Iguodala
Hawks get: Mike Conley, Jaxson Hayes, Cory Joseph and Golden State 2022 1^st round pick

While it shouldn�t effect the grade of the trade standing here, having traded Conley�s value for peanuts later probably cost this one from being the best trade of the year.

 

Hawks send: Rights to Udoka Azubuike, 2021 Pick 34 and Atlanta 2023 2^nd
Hawks get: 2021 Pick 27

Doesn�t look as good in hindsight despite drafting Udoka at pick 32, and trading him and 2nds for what was projected at the time as ~Pick 20.

 

Hawks send: Dario Saric and 2021 Pick 30
Hawks get: Rudy Gay, 2021 Pick 26 and 2021 Pick 38

Of course, the location of the picks was unknown at the time, but good value.

 

Hawks send: 2021 Pick 26
Hawks get: 2022 Dallas 1^st round pick.

High chance

High chance they get a better than pick 26 selection in 2022 for moving back a year when they had 6 1^st round picks in hand.

 

Free Agency:

The Hawks have 13 guys under contract already, and only have decisions left to make on two players, one a UFA and another an RFA after they already renounced their rights to Rudy Gay, Aron Baynes, Cory Joseph, Justin Jackson and Ed Davis, clearing shop of the aging vets that were most definitely not needed. It was a shame they couldn�t get something of value back for Rudy who has a penchant for effectiveness in the NSL.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot � UFA, unlikely to make much of a splash and currently unsure if he�ll have a deal in place.

Cassius Stanley � RFA, QO hasn�t been extended yet, but if he holds a roster spot he�d be an instant return if the QO is given. If no NBA spot, and QO given, he�ll be a Rights retained.

 

Star:

Marvin Bagley

Ok so Marvin wasn�t Joel Embiid, but he was a key piece coming back to make that deal happen and low and behold he actually took the court for over half the season after managing only 13 games the year before and none in year 1. In those games, he showed some of why he was such a high draft selection averaging 15 points, 11 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 60/27/71 and committing less than a turnover a game. They�re some solid stats from your big man and plenty to build off. He won�t be their franchise face even as soon as this coming season with the rookies incoming, but if he can be an anchor for years to come that�s all you can ask.

 

Flop:

Injuries (Training staff?)

Ok so it�s a cop out, but the Hawks real flop this year was the injury list hampering their youth development and not giving the fans something to tune into each game for. Bagley 34 missed games, Cam Reddish 57 missed games, DeAndre Hunter 58 missed games, Romeo Langford 35 missed games, Grayson Allen 19 missed games, Jalen McDaniels 13 missed games�hell even Aaron Holiday missed 4. All these kids and all that time off.

 

Draft Grades:

Pick #2 � Jalen Green (Given A+ by pundits)

Pick #10 � James Bouknight (Given A by pundits)

Pick #31 � Sharife Cooper

The Hawks were one of the perceived winners of Draft Day landing arguably the best player in the draft class (depending on who you ask) at #2, before then taking the impressive looking guard in Bouknight at 10 and rounding out by �reaching� on a Summer League jumper in Cooper at 31. Green looks like a bonafide star already while Bouknight has already shown some flashes in preseason too. Cooper, might be on a 2way deal, but if he doesn�t land a full time gig by the halfway mark of the NBA season then the NBA Hawks have rocks in their head (or too deep of a roster going for title�you know�either/or).

 

The Future:

The Hawks have one of the brightest futures of any team in the league and it�s shining like a beacon to start this year as low and behold, everyone is actually healthy! The Hawks won 14 last year, but I think they should seriously push the 34 they won the year before and maybe even sneak into a playoff spot, even if it�s helped by a play-in win or 2. They have depth at most positions with PG being the glaring weakness, but plenty of guards to cover that hole or to ship out, they�re all kids, they�re all growing and they all play roles. The only thing that can derail this train now is more injuries to dampen the spirit.

C: Myles Turner / Jaxson Hayes
PF: Marvin Bagley / Jalen McDaniels
SF: DeAndre Hunter / Eric Paschall
SG: Cam Reddish / Grayson Allen / James Bouknight / Romeo Langford
PG: Jalen Green / Aaron Holiday