The Hawks may have not made it into the Orlando Bubble and playoffs this year, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still be preparing for their next season. The team as a whole must determine what went wrong while also focusing on what went right in order for them to make their much needed comeback next season. They have a strong young core on their side that has the potential to lead them to the playoffs, but they also have to be prepared for their competition.
Despite not making it all the way, the team still had a lot of accomplishments and things going right for them before the season was abruptly shortened. All-Star Trae Young was constantly making major improvements, such as achieving his career-high 50-point game against Miami HEAT, and many other consistent high scoring games throughout. He also averaged 9.3 dimes per contest, ranking him behind only LeBron James in that category. Not bad for a second-year point guard.
Young was not the only player with scoring improvements. A total of 10 players were shooting 40 percent or better as well as the rookies connecting with at least 50 percent of their shots from beyond the arch. With shooting rates this good the team shouldn’t lose very often as long as they bring the same energy defensively. Rookies De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish need to spend the offseason working on their offensive efficiency, as both shot under 40% for the season.
Things obviously went wrong somewhere for them to not make it to the Orlando Bubble. Another one of their top players, John Collins, had a 25-game suspension after violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug Program, which really took a toll on the team. Another notable player, Huerter, also missed 11 games due to a shoulder injury. Injuries are a part of sports, every team has to face them, the Hawks need to work on how they adjust to key injuries, especially when going up against some of their biggest threats in their conference such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers and so on.
It is no surprise that the team needs a lot of defensive help. The Hawks’ defensive rating was 114.4 this season, ranking them at #26 out of 30 teams. In addition, they gave up 19.5 points off of their own turnover, something only two teams in the league did better (worse). The lead culprit in this situation was Young, who led the league with 4.8 turnovers per contest. Of course, part of the reason for the poor defensive rating and for Young’s high turnover rate was the extended absence of Collins, who helps shore up the front line and convert easy baskets. His return, coupled with the acquisition of Clint Capela should give Atlanta an immediate path to improvement.
Acquiring Clint Capela was a great move by the Atlanta Hawks. A starting center with a great deal of playoff experience is exactly what the team needs. He will be able to build up the young core of the team, as well as bring his rebounding and defensive skills, which is what the team desperately needs help with. Seeing him play next to the team’s Core Five players, Young, Collins, Reddish, Hunter, and Huerter, should make for an explosive team overall. Second-year point guard Brandon Goodwin looks to be a keeper on the Hawks’ young core. Goodwin averaged 17.2 points, 4.3 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per 34 games he played with the team. Seeing his accomplishments so far made Atlanta realize that he deserves to be converted to a regular contract. We will be able to watch Goodwin blossom into a great overall NBA player with the Hawks next season, which should prove to help the team succeed.
The Hawks are projected to have the most flexibility with their salary cap above every other NBA team for the upcoming draft. They are looking to transition from a rebuilding state to a playoff threat team, which would make now a good time to adjust their free agency philosophy. Adding a veteran or two with playoff experience could help develop the team’s young core to lead them to their own playoff series. This year’s free agent class is not as promising as past years and investing long-term money into a player that is not logical for the team’s overall growth would be risky. Since they may not be able to land a star player in the free agent market they still have the option to trade. If they want to expand into the additions of some veteran players then it could make sense to trade off one of the young core players in exchange. With so much up in the air this year anything is bound to happen. Let’s just hope Atlanta lands a star veteran that can turn the team into an overall playoff threat.
If the Hawks do not continue growing their young core, their defense and their additions of veteran players they will continuously fall short of making the playoffs. There is a lot still unknown in regards to how the team will go about the 2020 Draft and what trades they will make, but they will have built up quite an intense drive and attitude throughout their off time that will help them go all the way. One thing is for sure, which is that the Hawks have some important foundational pieces in place. Having the most important position in the NBA accounted for by Young as their point-guard is huge for the Hawks. They just have a little bit more work to do.
