Post Mortem #13 - Atlanta Hawks

[Marvin Martian]

you can't win championships with high-usage, stat-padding, defensive liabilities as your #1. Until Trae is sent out they stand no chance. Nothing else matters until that happens. The thing is, he's very popular and fills seats and that is the most important thing for NBA owners. I think they'll just have to hope Johnson comes back healthy, they hit on some solid role players in the draft and by keeping everyone together they can improve enough to at least make the playoffs so the owner can get that playoff money.

Would a Devin Booker - Young swap make sense for both teams?

No. But a Zach, Johnson plus a pick for Booker makes sense for both teams.

[giberish]

I don't agree with the Young trades. The Hawks have quietly assembled a nice core of young players and have the pieces in place to have great defenders around Young. Age wise, this group fits together as well.

Draft well, gets a Dillon Brooks type veteran on this team, add some size and I think the Hawks could be the surprise team of next season.

There isn't an obvious path to a title with this team - and for some fans that's all that matters. Though they don't control their own 1sts going forward so the classic tank plan (the usual call for teams without a plausible title path) is off the table.

Still, they're not in a place that's that bad. They have some other 1sts that can bring in some youth or be used in trades. Johnson being healthier and 2nd and 3rd year improvement from Richlear could easily get them into the playoffs (lower-tier playoffs at least).

Probably no big moves coming. A different center to split time with OO and some bench moves. Hope to get some minor wins around the edges to get to a 45-50 win team in the next few years. Don't give up your own future 1sts so that in a few years the rebuild option is available if needed.

[Mr Puddles]

I don't agree with the Young trades. The Hawks have quietly assembled a nice core of young players and have the pieces in place to have great defenders around Young. Age wise, this group fits together as well.

Draft well, gets a Dillon Brooks type veteran on this team, add some size and I think the Hawks could be the surprise team of next season.

There isn't an obvious path to a title with this team - and for some fans that's all that matters. Though they don't control their own 1sts going forward so the classic tank plan (the usual call for teams without a plausible title path) is off the table.

Still, they're not in a place that's that bad. They have some other 1sts that can bring in some youth or be used in trades. Johnson being healthier and 2nd and 3rd year improvement from Richlear could easily get them into the playoffs (lower-tier playoffs at least).

Probably no big moves coming. A different center to split time with OO and some bench moves. Hope to get some minor wins around the edges to get to a 45-50 win team in the next few years. Don't give up your own future 1sts so that in a few years the rebuild option is available if needed.

I don't think you can say there isn't an obvious path to a title with a team that has its entire core between the ages of 20-26.

1. We don't know how these players will develop
2. We don't know how the league will develop over the coming years
3. The Hawks draft and free agency will be large factors on how this team will be constructed.

I'm not the biggest Trae Young fan, but in a world where JJ and Risacher become legit two-way players, and guys like Daniels, Okongwu and Guey are complemented with physical defensive players, size and rebounding, I don't see why they can't be a team that can compensate for Trae's short comings on defense while completing his skills on the other end of the floor.

[perempe20]

Watch on YouTube

Zaccharie Risacher Player Lowlights vs HEAT (Play In)

[jasonxxx102]

Solid young core. Run it back with a healthy
Jalen and another year of development.

Yea run it back right to the playin again for the 5th year in a row

[jasonxxx102]

The real problem the hawks have is that Trae is not good enough to build a contending team around.

As long as he is your best player you’ll be stuck in the play in

[Ball4life32]

Solid young core. Run it back with a healthy
Jalen and another year of development.

Yea run it back right to the playin again for the 5th year in a row

Hawks 2nd youngest starting lineup in the league and lost Jalen Johnson half way through the year when they were top 6 seed. Crazy casuals think Trae should have led a young team without his 2nd best player to a contender.

[Ball4life32]

you can't win championships with high-usage, stat-padding, defensive liabilities as your #1. Until Trae is sent out they stand no chance. Nothing else matters until that happens. The thing is, he's very popular and fills seats and that is the most important thing for NBA owners. I think they'll just have to hope Johnson comes back healthy, they hit on some solid role players in the draft and by keeping everyone together they can improve enough to at least make the playoffs so the owner can get that playoff money.

We literally just saw a player like this take his team to the championship last year and we’ve seen Trae make a deep run before. But again somehow hawks who lost their 2nd player half way through the year (hawks were top 6 seed at that time) while starting a 19 yr old rookie all year and other young players is all on Trae.

Hawks exceeded expectations but just because of Trae you see people listing the hawks as “performed as expected” which is comical. Hawks were projected mid 30 win team….plus had a bunch of injuries. Some even have “performed worse than expected” which is even more comical.

[brackdan70]

Trade Trae.

Build around Johnson, Dyson, Okongwu, Risacher

Thats the plan

I agree. This is the path to getting off the treadmill.

[jasonxxx102]

Solid young core. Run it back with a healthy
Jalen and another year of development.

Yea run it back right to the playin again for the 5th year in a row

Hawks 2nd youngest starting lineup in the league and lost Jalen Johnson half way through the year when they were top 6 seed. Crazy casuals think Trae should have led a young team without his 2nd best player to a contender.

Just keep telling yourself that, buddy

Hey when they’re in the play in again next season you’ll have another excuse I’m sure. Hawks won’t make any changes because their fans are complacent with the mediocrity

[Bornstellar]

Thanks for the lotto pick

[Jamaaliver]

Would a Devin Booker - Young swap make sense for both teams?

A lineup of:

• PG: Dyson Daniels
• SG: Devin Booker
• SF: Risacher
• PF: Jalen Johnson
• C: Okongwu

Would be really strong defensively.

Atlanta would have to add some vet Playmakers to the bench.
But yes, I believe the floor would be higher for Atlanta.

[Ball4life32]

Yea run it back right to the playin again for the 5th year in a row

Hawks 2nd youngest starting lineup in the league and lost Jalen Johnson half way through the year when they were top 6 seed. Crazy casuals think Trae should have led a young team without his 2nd best player to a contender.

Just keep telling yourself that, buddy

Hey when they’re in the play in again next season you’ll have another excuse I’m sure. Hawks won’t make any changes because their fans are complacent with the mediocrity

Sure pal keep thinking a team who started 4 players 24 and under next to Trae and lost their 2nd best player has no chance to improve.

And hawks have checks* 3 new starters next to Trae have traded Collins, Hunter, Dejounte, Huerter in the last few years and you say they don’t make changes?

[Statlanta]

The goal isn't to trade Young. The goal is to decide who is best to build around on the team and who is best to trade away. Do you build around Daniels? Do you build around Rissacher? Do you build around Young?

What is stopping this cycle of the Play-In Games?

[Pointgod]

The real problem the hawks have is that Trae is not good enough to build a contending team around.

As long as he is your best player you’ll be stuck in the play in

It would be interesting to see Trae paired up with Rudy Gobert. Two players that make up for each other’s weaknesses. I think the biggest thing with Trae is that you have to surround him with length and capable defenders.

Ultimately I agree with you that he needs to be paired with a two way wing that isn’t ball dominant. He’d be a good fit on Orlando, except their best players need the ball and can’t shoot from the outside. Jason Tatum seems like a potential running mate that would work well with him. Either way the Hawks need to decide which way to go because they’re in basketball purgatory right now

[Nuntius]

you can't win championships with high-usage, stat-padding, defensive liabilities as your #1. Until Trae is sent out they stand no chance. Nothing else matters until that happens. The thing is, he's very popular and fills seats and that is the most important thing for NBA owners. I think they'll just have to hope Johnson comes back healthy, they hit on some solid role players in the draft and by keeping everyone together they can improve enough to at least make the playoffs so the owner can get that playoff money.

We literally just saw a player like this take his team to the championship last year and we’ve seen Trae make a deep run before.

I don't disagree with your overall point here but comparing Luka and Trae defensively isn't really a 1 to 1 comparison. Luka is horrible as a point of attack defender, yes, but he's big and strong which means that you can put him on 3 or 4 and have no issues. He has no issue defending the post. Trae, on the other hand, is too small to do that.

But I do agree with the rest of your post. Teams with poor defensive PGs can definitely make deep runs.

[raleigh]

Trade Trae.

Build around Johnson, Dyson, Okongwu, Risacher

Thats the plan

I agree. This is the path to getting off the treadmill.

Yup. And, from a fan perspective, there's no better time to go young than when you don't have control over your own picks and have no true star. You can build a team that plays selflessly on both sides of the ball. It's easy to pull for a team like that.

The obstacle to that plan is a FO that doesn't want the embarrassment of the Spurs getting high lottery picks. I would not be surprised to see them re-sign Trae for no other reason than to keep the team on the fringes of the playoffs.

Job security.

[threethehardway]

I don't know why NBA fans like to go into hypotheticals about teams with bad ownership that obviously sees their team as a way to generate profit for their family business. Ownership that will sacrifice team building so they can make money.

The Hawks are a terrible franchise that will never win championships because in the NBA, you need top 5 of all time talent to win rings or you need multiple top 25 players.

The Hawks are too cheap to assemble such a team and will double down on making the playoffs with a subpar roster and a faux superstar like they always have.

I seen someone in here say the Hawks should trade for Devin Freaking Booker to pair with Trae Young lol. That's the prime example of a Hawks faux superstar and it would be an all-time Hawks move.

Jalen Johnson will clear Devin Booker in two years as a multi-talented forward in the vein of Shawn Marion. Why would you trade him for a less dynamic player? Because Devin went to the Finals like 3 years ago?


I seen someone make an even crazier suggestion and say the Hawks should trade Trae for Devin and put Dyson Daniels at PG.

Trae Young is better for this team than Devin Booker because Trae Young is the babysitter that let these young guys get offensive confidence instead of being destroyed every night and exposed for their lack of playmaking and shot creation.

If the Hawks were serious about winning, they would've recognized they weren't ready for prime time and tanked for Paolo and Wemby instead of doubling down and trading for every casual NBA that box score watches favorite son - Dejounte Murray.

But like I always say, only about 10 organizations actively pursue a winning championships, the rest are leeches that benefits from revenue sharing.

The Hawks should not be taken seriously.

[Ari_Emanuel]

Solid young core. Run it back with a healthy
Jalen and another year of development.

Yea run it back right to the playin again for the 5th year in a row

If ATL had these young players 3 or 4 years ago, they'd be 1 or 2 trades away from contending now.

Accelerating the rebuild now is risky as Risacher needs more time to develop before he can be a reliable starter on a contender.

Unless you can swing trade of Trae, Risacher, and maybe some 2nd rounders for an above average two-way player.

I wouldn't give up any 1st rounders though, and you probably aren't getting a star for that package.

[Ari_Emanuel]

you can't win championships with high-usage, stat-padding, defensive liabilities as your #1. Until Trae is sent out they stand no chance. Nothing else matters until that happens. The thing is, he's very popular and fills seats and that is the most important thing for NBA owners. I think they'll just have to hope Johnson comes back healthy, they hit on some solid role players in the draft and by keeping everyone together they can improve enough to at least make the playoffs so the owner can get that playoff money.

Would a Devin Booker - Young swap make sense for both teams?

No. But a Zach, Johnson plus a pick for Booker makes sense for both teams.

Trading Jalen for Devin is a lateral move at best.