2025 Season discussion and analysis part I

[Rebound Mound]

Hello all,

I propose this topic here to talk, analyze and/or discuss about everything related to the basketball side of the team, being it trades, future, current situation, style of play, etc.
The reason is that most team forums work in this way, so there are not so many different topics and the messages can be all together and there is more 'material' for us to talk about.

feel free to participate or continue using the other topics for specific subjects.

[Rebound Mound]

As an example, I would love to read your opinions on how we are playing after the trades, the decisions Snyder is taking regarding starting fives, playing time of Mann, LeVert, Gueye, Krejci, Niang... our options to find a good bench PG or whether we should continue with Bufkin and this other guy with the long hair whom is now injured. I believe the option of playing Krejci as a PG could really be a advantage with his size.

I like the array of possibilities we have ahead of us, with the team fighting for a PI spot and, at the same time, developing young talent and looking into the next season. Specially knowing that JJ and others will be back.

[Geaux_Hawks]

Honestly, I prefer the individual topics over jamming everything into one. Rarely do I see the need to be discussing multiple topics in the same thread.

[Rebound Mound]

Honestly, I prefer the individual topics over jamming everything into one. Rarely do I see the need to be discussing multiple topics in the same thread.

When there is a pattern in our actions, or style of play, or defensive problems, of lack of XXX, or the roster being too XXX, I find pointless to write in one of the games threads, as they will eventually evaporate and the discussion will be gone...

[CP War Hawks]

Just random thoughts...

Snyder may not be the long term coach for this team. Fields is doing a nice job building up the roster. The developmental staff seems to be really good from years past.

Fields is putting Ressler in position to exceed the initial tax if continues to improve the team like I think he can.

[Jamaaliver]

Just random thoughts...

Snyder may not be the long term coach for this team.

[Jamaaliver]

Post Trade Deadline...the offense has improved and the defense has fallen off.
(Does not include last night's Clippers catastrophe.)

Spoiler:

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[Jamaaliver]

Quin and Co. may have gotten out coached by Ty Lue and Crew...

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[Jamaaliver]

Trae has legitimately had some serious difficulties fitting in the QS system...appears to be finishing strong this year. Though the recent shoulder injury could change that.

Spoiler:

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[Jamaaliver]

This front office has become sneakily good in the past 9+ months...

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[Rebound Mound]

This front office has become sneakily good in the past 9+ months...

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I am really happy, as a fan, about the situation they have put us in so we can have a more competitive roster next year. I hated seeing Hunter go, now that he was playing great and with no injuries. LeVert and Mann are good players that fit in from the beginning, but Hunter is a 6-8 SF who can play PF in today's game and was a sure thing from the bench.

For what I see, CC, Nance and LeVert all finish their contracts in 3 months, so that means 49 million free, but 30 of them will go to JJ's new agreement. If LeVert and Nance stay, which I would like, and we S&T Capela, that would mean 12 players plus the one/ones who could arrive for CC.

We have like 4/5 players that should go, although all of them had good stints with us (Matthews, Roddy, Wallace) and I do not whether we should take the long road of waiting for the development of Gueye, Barlow, JJ, OO... or we should be more aggressive and ship Niang, CC and Levert or Mann and use the cap space we will have to get a second top player so we can maximize Trae's tenure with us.

Our youngs are promising (JJ, OO, Gueye, Barlow), but Trae will be 27 for next season, entering his prime, supposedly.

[CP War Hawks]

Edit: so the Hawks created another 13-14m trade exception due to Manns salary. I guess they absorbed his contract towards MLE only for this season, and the rest hits the regular cap space, not sure how this works but nice maneuvering if it hits that way.

[Jamaaliver]

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[DirtybirdGA]

^ and a vomit emoji

I should put something down on this.

[jayu70]

As an example, I would love to read your opinions on how we are playing after the trades, the decisions Snyder is taking regarding starting fives, playing time of Mann, LeVert, Gueye, Krejci, Niang... our options to find a good bench PG or whether we should continue with Bufkin and this other guy with the long hair whom is now injured. I believe the option of playing Krejci as a PG could really be a advantage with his size.

I like the array of possibilities we have ahead of us, with the team fighting for a PI spot and, at the same time, developing young talent and looking into the next season. Specially knowing that JJ and others will be back.

I was concerned at the start of the season we did not do enough to shore up backup PF and back PG....and here we are... Both guys slated for those roles have been injured.
Having to start guys like Roddy and GMat were disasters - it's ok for them to start in spot minutes but not in the same games and for consecutive games - awful.
The deadline trades were ok as it provided us with better depth and HEALTHY players with functional NBA talent as opposed to the Roddy's, GMat's etc.
There seems to be an artificial limit restriction to Zacc's minutes - I would like to see him play more minutes especially when he is playing well, and we need more of what he does on the court on both sides of the ball.
Starting Gueye is what it is. We are limited with our size options - Niang doesn't play defense or rebound so I'm ok not starting him, he shouldn't see as many minutes as he does sometimes, particularly when his shot is not falling. Hawks need to play BIG.

Very interesting offseason ahead.

[jayu70]

This front office has become sneakily good in the past 9+ months...

Read on Twitter

I am really happy, as a fan, about the situation they have put us in so we can have a more competitive roster next year. I hated seeing Hunter go, now that he was playing great and with no injuries. LeVert and Mann are good players that fit in from the beginning, but Hunter is a 6-8 SF who can play PF in today's game and was a sure thing from the bench.

For what I see, CC, Nance and LeVert all finish their contracts in 3 months, so that means 49 million free, but 30 of them will go to JJ's new agreement. If LeVert and Nance stay, which I would like, and we S&T Capela, that would mean 12 players plus the one/ones who could arrive for CC.

We have like 4/5 players that should go, although all of them had good stints with us (Matthews, Roddy, Wallace) and I do not whether we should take the long road of waiting for the development of Gueye, Barlow, JJ, OO... or we should be more aggressive and ship Niang, CC and Levert or Mann and use the cap space we will have to get a second top player so we can maximize Trae's tenure with us.

Our youngs are promising (JJ, OO, Gueye, Barlow), but Trae will be 27 for next season, entering his prime, supposedly.

I don't think all 3 players we traded for will be on the team to start next season. Mathews is also expiring, Roddy was traded, Wallace is on a 2way contract, Mo's contract is not guaranteed, Barlow's is a team option, Vit's is a partial guarantee, you need to account for the two drafts picks (currently #14 and #23), so we will have technically have 2 slots to fill. We don't have any cap space but we have space under the Luxury Tax.

Here is a breakdown of where we are for next season:

Hawks 2025-26 Salary
Salary Cap $154.6 million
Luxury Tax $187.9 million
1st Apron $195.9 million
2nd Apron $207.8 million

Exceptions available:
MLE $14.1 million
DJ TPE $25.2 million
TM TPE $13.1 million
AJ TPE $3.7 million

11 Players with a contract (*partial guarantee/non guaranteed/TO):

Trae Young $45.9 mil
Jalen Johnson $30 mil
Terence Mann $15.5 mil
Onyeka Okongwu $15 mil
Zaccharie Risacher $13.1 mil
Georges Niang $8.2 mil
Dyson Daniels $7.7 mil
Kobe Bufkin $4.5 mil
*Vit Krecji $2.3 mil
*Mohammed Gueye $2.2 mil
*Dominick Barlow $2.2 mil

CONTRACT TOTAL for 11 players $146.6 million

Pick #14 $4.4
Pick #23 $2.9
Two Draft picks total $7.3

CONTRACT TOTAL for 13 Players/picks - TOTAL $153.9

Hawks will have ~$34 million to spend AND stay under the Luxury Tax.

Free Agents: Clint Capel, Caris Levert, Larry Nance Jr, Garrison Mathews

[CP War Hawks]

There's only like 4-5 guys that are "safe" from the trade market. JJ, Trae, Dyson, ZR, and tentatively OO.

Barlow I don't see how he sticks if they upgrade via draft. Mo and Vit can be supplemented as trade bait sweetener due to their cheaper contracts. Niang has a year left and has some value as a bench forward.

Even OO and ZR should be traded if the Hawks want to go after a star wanting to leave their current situation, ala KD, Zion, etc.

[Geaux_Hawks]

Starting to understand the Niang effect. Dude can be a 30 ball monster one game, then turn around and look washed the next 2 games. Defense is absolutely atrocious, and may possibly be the reason we're overextending and out of position in other spots.

[Jamaaliver]

Hornets looking to Atlanta as a blueprint for how to build around a young, defensively deficient PG?

...the Hawks are far from a perfect squad. But they definitely did some things right that Charlotte should try to emulate.

In many ways, Young is similar to the Hornets young superstar. The pair of point guards are two of the most electrifying playmakers in the league, whose range extends well beyond the 3-point arc and who have a penchant for performing and sometimes failing highlight-reel plays...[Charlotte] should bring in new faces with skill sets that are akin to those of a few of the key pieces around Young.

For instance, bringing in an all-world defender who can hold his own on offense, like Dyson Daniels, should be on top of Charlotte's wish list. A big man in the mold of Onyeka Okongwu (who thoroughly outplayed Williams on Monday while finishing with a double-double and shooting 3-6 from long range) with a high motor who can also patrol the paint, control the boards, and space the floor would be useful for sure. Perhaps acquiring a rookie in the 2025 draft who can contribute immediately, such as Zaccharie Risacher, should also be a priority.

Hornets Fansided

[Jamaaliver]

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