Hawks -- State of the Franchise

[jayu70]

Well, we didn't have a chance to adequately compete to 45 wins to start last season, so how do we know we could not?

Example: we trade for DJ, keep Huerter and resign Delon. Give the team a chance to play some games and see how it unfolds to start the season. Instead, we had Justin and Aaron Holiday to start the season.
My head hurts too.

I'd have a hard time going into the luxury tax to keep Kevin Huerter and Delon Wright. Especially when trying to avoid the repeater tax for future flexibility.

To your point, our payroll is pretty low in comparison to other franchises. That likely explains why we're stuck in mediocrity.

Starting the season in the Luxury Tax doesn't necessarily mean you end the season in the tax.
I just would have liked competitive roster to start the season vs starting behind the 8ball from the jump then struggling to what 'make the play-in'. Put the best roster you can on the floor before pre-emptively making those moves as just a stand-alone tax move. A game or two makes a difference in the standings and how you progress in the playoffs depending on the matchups. I don't think we can maintain a competitive roster if we keep undercutting the talent. If Hawks are winning more games than not, I think it increases the value of the players for trade if a trade presents himself. But losing because of the overall quality of the roster further depresses the players value.

[Jamaaliver]

The personnel do not fit the new system.

Time for some changes?

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"My nice thing to say about the Hawks is that they have achieved clarity and that clarity is that their team is not good. This has not worked. The 2021 Conference Finals run is a long time and mega trade ago. The Hawks are 9-13, they are 5th in offense, which is fine, and 27th in defense and I just hate watching them. I hate watching them. They are -26 with Murray and Young on the floor together with an offensive rating that would be about average and if this is what they are..."

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Spot on Analysis:

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[Jamaaliver]

Ultimate Trade Season Cheat Sheet

Atlanta Hawks



Buyers or Sellers: Buyers, with an open mind toward selling. (#CheckTheStandingzzz)

Salary-Cap Situation at a Glance: $9.7 million below the tax

Untouchable Players:
• Onyeka Okongwu (poison pill);
• ...maybe Trae Young

Notable Trade Assets:
• Saddiq Bey (expiring at $4.6 million; restricted free agent this summer);
• Bogdan Bogdanović (three years, $49.9 million; player option for 2026-27);
• Kobe Bufkin (three years, $15.7 million);
• A.J. Griffin (two years, $9.9 million);
• De'Andre Hunter (three years, $69.9 million);
• Jalen Johnson (one year, $4.5 million);
• Dejounte Murray (four years, $114.2 million; trade-eligible on Jan. 9)

Notable Traded Player Exceptions:
• $23 million (via John Collins trade; expires Jul. 8)

Notable Inbound Draft Picks:
• Sacramento's 2024 first-round pick (lottery protection in 2024; top-12 protection in 2025; top-10 protection in 2026; turns into 2026 and 2027 seconds if not conveyed);
• Minnesota's 2025 second-round pick;
• Memphis' 2026 second-round pick (protected Nos. 43 to 60);
• L.A. Clippers 2027 second-round pick;
• Houston's 2028 second-round pick

Notable Outbound Draft Picks:
• 2024 second-round pick to Portland;
• 2025 first-round pick to San Antonio;
• 2025 second-round pick to Oklahoma City (protected Nos. 31 to 40) or Portland (protected Nos. 41 to 59);
• 2026 first-round pick to San Antonio (swap rights);
• 2027 first-round pick to San Antonio;
• 2027 second-round pick to Boston;
• 2028 second-round pick to Golden State;
• 2029 second-round pick to Oklahoma City

Best Salary-Matching Assets:
• Clint Capela (one year, $22.3 million);
• Patty Mills (expiring at $6.8 million)

Toughest Player to Move:
• Clint Capela (one year, $22.3 million)

Most Likely Player to Be Traded:
• Saddiq Bey

Biggest Need(s)

• Upgrading the perimeter defense, either in the starting lineup or in multiple spots across the bench, should register as the Atlanta Hawks' most pressing aim.
  
• Another combo big is fine, but they need that player to not cost Jalen Johnson and be a rim-protecting and rebounding upgrade over the Clint Capela-Onyeka Okongwu combination.

Realistic Trade Targets:
• OG Anunoby;
• Jae'Sean Tate;
• Patrick Williams

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

I say NO!!

Play out the season and make the hard decisions next summer.

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[DirtybirdGA]

Well they aren't going to get past an 8th seed, so they're going to remain in an 8-10th hole.

[Jamaaliver]

Well they aren't going to get past an 8th seed, so they're going to remain in an 8-10th hole.

[Geaux_Hawks]

At this juncture in the season, we've got to continue to reshape the roster. Still just too much overlap. Hunter's got no real upside. Is AJ Griffin an afterthought at this point? You got a solid #2 in DJM, but would pushing him down to #3 be a better use of him, while also being an upgrade for the team overall if we land a quality 2nd option in the frontcourt? We need depth at the 4 even when JJ comes back. Ultimately, we've gotta fix our rotation at the 3 and 4 spots. JJ will certainly fill one of those spots, but the other is going to need an upgrade of some kind or at least a better fit/different approach.

[DirtybirdGA]

I mean, I just don't see them doing much this season

[jayu70]

At this juncture in the season, we've got to continue to reshape the roster. Still just too much overlap. Hunter's got no real upside. Is AJ Griffin an afterthought at this point? You got a solid #2 in DJM, but would pushing him down to #3 be a better use of him, while also being an upgrade for the team overall if we land a quality 2nd option in the frontcourt? We need depth at the 4 even when JJ comes back. Ultimately, we've gotta fix our rotation at the 3 and 4 spots. JJ will certainly fill one of those spots, but the other is going to need an upgrade of some kind or at least a better fit/different approach.

Who's the quality 2nd option you are targeting?
What are you giving up to get him?

[jayu70]

I mean, I just don't see them doing much this season

I think they'll do what they typically do in season - make a trade around the edges to upgrade the bench.

[Geaux_Hawks]

At this juncture in the season, we've got to continue to reshape the roster. Still just too much overlap. Hunter's got no real upside. Is AJ Griffin an afterthought at this point? You got a solid #2 in DJM, but would pushing him down to #3 be a better use of him, while also being an upgrade for the team overall if we land a quality 2nd option in the frontcourt? We need depth at the 4 even when JJ comes back. Ultimately, we've gotta fix our rotation at the 3 and 4 spots. JJ will certainly fill one of those spots, but the other is going to need an upgrade of some kind or at least a better fit/different approach.

Who's the quality 2nd option you are targeting?
What are you giving up to get him?

I'm not sure on that yet. I was just really rattling off some things in my head because we do need to further reshape the roster. Lauri would be ideal, but I do understand we might not have the option to pursue a legit 3rd star. Obviously not Siakam unless we got a good trade. Zion?! I get we need more defense than anything, but I would address that based on what moves we can actually make.

Something to consider would be adding strong defenders coming off the bench like a Jonathan Isaac and/or Mytsse Thybulle. Obviously Hunter would be out the door. Idk, but we need a different approach to how we've been building around Trae. I think we got a good foundation with Trae, DJ, JJ, Bey, Bogi, OO, and CC. It all comes down to what pieces to move and how the new pieces would fit honestly.

[CP War Hawks]

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So Schlenk chose to draft and acquire one way offensive players including Trae right. That mold will only go so far in a playoff setting. With Fields, he values length, skill, and athleticism with a slight edge toward defense.

I think the plan is clear to build with those players around Trae. JJ and OO are a good start. I do believe they made an error with what DJ could bring to the table and his pliability to do the intangibles needed to compliment a Trae.

[jayu70]

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So Schlenk chose to draft and acquire one way offensive players including Trae right. That mold will only go so far in a playoff setting. With Fields, he values length, skill, and athleticism with a slight edge toward defense.

I think the plan is clear to build with those players around Trae. JJ and OO are a good start. I do believe they made an error with what DJ could bring to the table and his pliability to do the intangibles needed to compliment a Trae.

I don't think you would classify Cam, Hunter, OO smf JJ as offensive only players. All players drafted by Schlenk Those are long defenders around Trae - just haven't worked out as planned, yet. He also traded for Capela.
Felds has drafted Bufkin and was the force behind the DJ trade, and trading for Bey.

[CP War Hawks]

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So Schlenk chose to draft and acquire one way offensive players including Trae right. That mold will only go so far in a playoff setting. With Fields, he values length, skill, and athleticism with a slight edge toward defense.

I think the plan is clear to build with those players around Trae. JJ and OO are a good start. I do believe they made an error with what DJ could bring to the table and his pliability to do the intangibles needed to compliment a Trae.

I don't think you would classify Cam, Hunter, OO smf JJ as offensive only players. All players drafted by Schlenk Those are long defenders around Trae - just haven't worked out as planned, yet. He also traded for Capela.
Felds has drafted Bufkin and was the force behind the DJ trade, and trading for Bey.

The thing with Hunter and Cam he tried to address the wing defense in a very poor draft for small forwards. Cam is a straight out bust and Hunter is a 'Duck esque bust'. When he was suppose side morw towards his offensive centric player, he passed on the wrong Cam...

They both have length but not much skill and athleticism. Capela was basically given to the Hawks for a mid 1st rounder who were desperate for a C and almost got Drummond at the time if I recall.

OO was the only true defensive player Schlenk got right and JJ was a no brainer at 20. It's clear Fields has a type: Gueye, Norris, Siakam for the forward position.

The Spellman pick is the prime philosophy of Schlenk to me. A small ball center type with supposed offensive skill that had the high floor over all the high ceiling talent that fell behind him. If he takes Mitch Rob for example, you don't waste the traded pick on CC. Then you wouldn't have the dire need coming into the 2020 draft for OO and could afford to swing on Haliburton or even Vassell.

[Jamaaliver]

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[dms269]

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"Good organizationaly"

We have an owner who promoted his kid to a high level position. The kid then hired his buddies to work under him.

[jayu70]

Our biggest issue is functional NBA TALENT, we are devoid of depth. We miss one player and things go south fast. Cavs are missing Garland and Mobley amd have gone 5-1 since.
Meanwhile, Hawks are forced to start something called a Garrison.
They talked about avoiding the playin, but didn't take the neccessary steps with the roster to avoid it. You can't start a race behind everyone else and expect to mefal.

[Jamaaliver]

Sizing up NBA trade market’s buyers and sellers



If you want a wild card for who might be the first domino, might I volunteer the Hawks? They concluded the most Hawksy two weeks possible on Saturday while blowing a double-digit lead against the Memphis Grizzlies: Trae Young tied a nearly 60-year-old NBA record with his seventh straight game of at least 30 points and 10 assists … and the Hawks went 3-4 in those seven games.

Atlanta is now 12-17, and while there are other indicators that the Hawks might be better than that record — a nearly neutral point differential, the impending return of breakout forward Jalen Johnson and a road-heavy early schedule — the underlying picture on this club hasn’t changed: It is 27th in defense, plays a joyless brand of your-turn my-turn offense, and its wing rotation isn’t good enough. Maybe the Hawks are more “average” than “bad,” but that still puts them a long way from good.

Bringing in Quin Snyder in the middle of last season was supposed to help change those characteristics, but the only level in which he’s really succeeded is in getting the team to exchange long 2s for 3s. (Atlanta has jumped from 30th to seventh in 3-point rate.)

With changing the coach already tried and the annual tradition of John Collins trade rumors finally a thing of the past, one wonders if the Hawks will move on to broader strokes. Already, whispers about players and packages have made the rounds; the Hawks have a lot of potential directions they could go with this and don’t seem to have settled on one just yet, but let’s just say nothing is being ruled out right now … including fairly radical alterations to the core.

Atlanta’s essential predicament is that it’s all-in on average. The roster is capped out, and managing the luxury tax is increasingly burdensome with six players making more than the midlevel exception, which is rough for a team that has no interest in ever exceeding the tax line. However, the team also is pot-committed to pursuing wins while owing three straight draft picks...to San Antonio for the reckless Dejounte Murray trade.

Young represents both the best and worst of the Hawks’ plight, virtually guaranteeing an elite offense and entertaining games while also locking them into subpar defense and soaking up a max salary. How to maximize what’s around him remains the vexing question. We’ve heard names like Bogdan Bogdanović, Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter and Murray mentioned in various outlets as potential trade pieces, and indeed, doing anything impactful will all but certainly involve one or more of those four.

The more tantalizing question for trade watchers: If the Hawks keep spiraling, could Young be on the market too?

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