There is still a great deal of uncertainty in regards to when the 2020-21 NBA season will begin. The rumored start date of December 1st, 2020 is starting to look a little too early being that the playoffs and Finals are still currently going on right now. The ultimate goal is to get fans back in the arena, so pushing back the start date could help make that happen, but nothing is certain since we are still in a global pandemic. On the bright side, this delay and time off has already proven to bring success to the young core of the Atlanta Hawks.
It will have been almost a year since the Atlanta Hawks have played a meaningful game before they are able to play one again. This gives them a lot of off time to regroup, strategize, and train hard before restarting. They missed out on a big opportunity of playing in the Orlando Bubble and proving their skills, but hopefully have been building up that momentum and saving all their energy for the start of next season. The team has an exciting young core with great potential to lead them to the playoffs next season, which is what they are desperately striving for.
The Hawks have a strong core five of young and improving players that will grow into exceptional NBA stars. Trae Young has already proven himself his first two years earning the second spot in the league in assists just behind LeBron James and fourth in the league for scoring. John Collins has also proven great success over his three years on the team, averaging 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and a field goal percentage of 58.3 during the regular season. Cam Reddish proved to be one of the best rookies in the league this season where he averaged 12.7 percent in rebounds while also having high block and steal ratings. De’Andre Hunter and Kevin Huerter are also key assets for building around star player Trae Young while also helping build up the team overall.
The downfall that comes from all of this time off is the team not being able to practice and play together, which is crucial if the team wants to make it to the playoffs. The team has lost a lot of opportunity by not being able to play in the Orlando Bubble, such as not seeing how or if Clint Capela fits in with the squad. He was unable to receive any playing time with the team due to a foot injury so not having the playing experience with the team in the bubble is very unfortunate and could be worrisome for the team. The team desperately needs a defensive wing player that can protect the rim and be an intimidation for competitors, so all they can do now is hope that Capela is that player for them.
While we patiently wait for the decision on when the 2020-21 NBA season will begin we have the upcoming draft to look forward to in order to see who the Hawks secure with the No. 6 pick. With so much uncertainty during such an unforgiving time, all we can do is hope that we can keep the start dates we are hoping for and that these events will no longer continue to get pushed back. This way Atlanta will be able to get their spark back by playing all together as a team and fight for their chance in the playoffs.
