Hawks are 17-24. What's happening?

[itrsteve]

I don't think they're as high as everybody was placing them coming into the season but they're not a 4-8 team either.

The truth is somewhere in the middle. It'll all normalize after the half way point.

They've played some good teams and if Cleveland and Washington weren't off to the great starts that they are (which is great for the league btw) then you're looking at a .500 start, 12 games in. Which is where I'd have them at the tail of the season.

[atlantabbq99]

NBA rule changes 2021, explained: Referees will no longer reward 'abnormal' moves from foul-hunting stars

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nba-rule-changes-2021-referees-foul-abnormal-moves/1k3iwiwqplmo9zznivoev48do


Like i said, im not really going to pay attention until after the ASB but the 2021 rule changes has affected Trae alot.

before Trae would average 9 free throw attempts per game. in the 13 games in 2021, Trae is only averaging 5 free throw attempts per game.

It is kind of a big deal, but Trae is an elite player, he will figure it out as the season goes on.

[leo7]

Trae played great the last 2 games, hopefully he keeps up that efficiency. For some reason this team just falls apart in the 3rd and 4th quarter. I hope Nate finds a way to fix this.

[jc23]

leadership? last year they started slow and it was thought that the coach and bog being out was the cause, maybe the team just doesnt want to play hard for a full season. definitely not an talent issue.

[MGB8]

Be ready to bump this when the Hawks go on an extended tear. Schedule (both opponents and compression) and some early dings accounts for a lot.

As some teams come back down to earth, others, like the Bucks, Nets and Hawks, will rise.

[LegendaryLakers]

Regression to the mean

[Threezus]

The biggest problem this year is capela being injured and trying to play through it. He is our defensive anchor and without him being his normal self the defense is taking a major hit right now.

[Buzzard]

We have had by far the worst schedule in the NBA. Look at the record of the teams we've played and realize how many of them were road games. It is insane to ask a team to start a season with a schedule like the one the Hawks got.

I agree. It was suppose to be a pretty average schedule minus the off days. But with the surprise teams like the Bulls, Cavaliers, Wizards etc it turned out to be brutal.

[LAL1947]

The biggest problem this year is capela being injured and trying to play through it. He is our defensive anchor and without him being his normal self the defense is taking a major hit right now.

I agree with this. The Hawks are really good team but need to go easy on Capela and save him for the playoffs though. A capable back-up Center would help y'all do just that... trade you Dwight Powell or WCS+Josh Green for Cam Reddish?

[threethehardway]

These aren't serious offers. Reddish/Huerter/Gallo isn't too far off from a neutral package at this point, let alone one that's going to net a 25 year-old star like KAT. Huerter is a nice rotation player who's being paid like a starter now, Gallo is almost done and at best only useful as a bench guy on a PO team, and Reddish has upside but still hasn't even shown he's a reliable rotation player.

Huerter/Collins/Capela and picks is better but there's still nothing tempting coming back for MIN. They would be entering some kind of rebuild if KAT moves on, and you probably don't want to start a rebuild by taking back $65m in contracts annually for vet players, especially since none of them are stars (or really have potential to be). And you're basically asking for Wolves fans to jump you in the parking lot by throwing in McDaniels to that trade.

The best chance ATL would have at KAT would be Hunter plus whichever 2 they wanted of Collins, Okongwu, Reddish, Huerter, and JJ and like 3 picks.

There's no reason for the Hawks to give up their best perimeter player for KAT. KAT isn't worth Deandre Hunter and 3 picks. Deandre Hunter is untradeable and never will be available unless Luka is coming back in a trade. Cam Reddish can go in the trade.

Jaden McDaniels isn't better than Cam Reddish, but he is long and athletic, he's basically a worse version of Jonathan Isaac. I don't care what the fans want, they always overrate athletic long players that haven't proven themselves. Look at the Hawks and their Cam Reddish fandom.

The problem with the Twolves is that their team is full of sub-starter players. A good team has about 8 players that could start. The Wolves get about 6 starter level players with my trade and a bunch of picks. The obsession of NBA teams stacking their rosters with young unproven players after trading a superstar is the wrong way to build a young team.

I would even argue that TWolves would be a better team in the present with my trade, than the Hawks. The Hawks still wouldn't have what every great team needs, which is a do-it-all wing.

What team would you rather have:

DLO/PatBev/
ANT/Huerter/Beasley
Beasley/Reddish/Prince
Collins/Prince/Naz
Capella/Naz


Trae/Wright
Bogi/TLC
Hunter/McDaniels
Vandy/Gallo
KAT/Dieng/OO

[HotelVitale]

These aren't serious offers. Reddish/Huerter/Gallo isn't too far off from a neutral package at this point, let alone one that's going to net a 25 year-old star like KAT. Huerter is a nice rotation player who's being paid like a starter now, Gallo is almost done and at best only useful as a bench guy on a PO team, and Reddish has upside but still hasn't even shown he's a reliable rotation player.

Huerter/Collins/Capela and picks is better but there's still nothing tempting coming back for MIN. They would be entering some kind of rebuild if KAT moves on, and you probably don't want to start a rebuild by taking back $65m in contracts annually for vet players, especially since none of them are stars (or really have potential to be). And you're basically asking for Wolves fans to jump you in the parking lot by throwing in McDaniels to that trade. The best chance ATL would have at KAT would be Hunter plus whichever 2 they wanted of Collins, Okongwu, Reddish, Huerter, and JJ and like 3 picks.

There's no reason for the Hawks to give up their best perimeter player for KAT. KAT isn't worth Deandre Hunter and 3 picks. Deandre Hunter is untradeable and never will be available unless Luka is coming back in a trade. Cam Reddish can go in the trade. Jaden McDaniels isn't better than Cam Reddish, but he is long and athletic, he's basically a worse version of Jonathan Isaac. I don't care what the fans want, they always overrate athletic long players that haven't proven themselves. Look at the Hawks and their Cam Reddish fandom.

The problem with the Twolves is that their team is full of sub-starter players. A good team has about 8 players that could start. The Wolves get about 6 starter level players with my trade and a bunch of picks. The obsession of NBA teams stacking their rosters with young unproven players after trading a superstar is the wrong way to build a young team.

All due respect, the idea that you should rebuild by getting a bunch of okay starters and good bench guys on sizeable contracts is not something we need to spend time arguing about. Your trade proposal itself has some stuff worth talking about, the justification does not.

There are many examples we can all throw out of why not to do that, but I guess you're maybe thinking about the Hawks themselves as a counterexample? If that's the case, a) they have Trae and Hunter in place (not Ant and Beasley) b) their depth is going to fall apart soon and continue doing so over time and c) besides, no one would be surprised if they never make it back to the CF with this team.

For the trade proposal, this isn't the trade board so I won't go deep here but KAT seems both better and younger than you seem to think. I know about his issues but he's not far off from like the center version of Dame on offense--he gets a pretty effortless 25ppg on great efficiency, night in and out, spreads the floor and doesn't need to dominate the ball either. I'm not even particularly a fan of his, it's just simple facts that dude's a major talent. I get being excited about Hunter, but Hunter's almost 24 years old--less than two years younger than KAT--and the chances he ends up close to KAT's level aren't great. It feels like this conversation isn't grounded in that obvious reality.

[jokeboy86]

Always felt they overachieved and had a hell of a run last year. They're still a playoff team but with some other teams in the East getting healthier or outright better their ceiling is 6-8 this year. The teams I felt coming into the season would be better than them are

Bucks
Nets
76ers(yes even considering the events of last year)
Heat
Bulls.

Who's better between them, the Celtics, and Knicks is a tossup but then they're better than everyone else left in the East.

[Threezus]

The biggest problem this year is capela being injured and trying to play through it. He is our defensive anchor and without him being his normal self the defense is taking a major hit right now.

I agree with this. The Hawks are really good team but need to go easy on Capela and save him for the playoffs though. A capable back-up Center would help y'all do just that... trade you Dwight Powell or WCS+Josh Green for Cam Reddish?

We actually do have a capable backup Center and anytime he gets minutes he does pretty well. Also we get a very talented Center coming back i a few more weeks as well. Gorgui Dieng is a quality Center and most people like him but for some reason Nate hasn't been using him alot lately. When he does get put in he makes a solid impact though. As far as the Center we are getting back it's Onyeka Okongwu are #5 pick last year and a very good defensive player with alot of upside.

Also i'll pass on moving Cam i would move on from quite a few other players before i would move on from Cam.

[spanishninja]

To answer the op:

Maybe they are not as good as expected and last season they overachieved. A bit like the Suns.

Uh, the Suns are 2nd in the west right now bro.

Sent from my SM-G781U using RealGM mobile app

[Bruin]

And now they’re 4-9

[GreatWhiteStiff]

cue the "TRAE EXPOSED!!!" thread

We need a phamsymbol for such occasions. I mean you could always shoot the guy a PM and give him some motivation or something. I could use a pharmcat/trae young thread in my life about now.

[GreatWhiteStiff]

As part of a rebuild/tank/fake competing raptors fanbase, I take some amount of joy in trae/the hawks struggling.

[leo7]

Hawks really need another star player to pair in the backcourt with Trae.

[epfou1]

Defensively they suck so bad right now. Which is strange for a McMillian team.

[Buzzard]

Defensively they suck so bad right now. Which is strange for a McMillian team.

Hunter is way off his game still and Bogdanovic has been below average on defense at best this season. Huerter gives the effort but is still only a average defender. You are right though, the team defense is just not there so far.

To make matters worse tonight, against Denver, it was a horrible offensive game for everyone not named Trae Young, John Collins, or Clint Capela. The team shot 40.9 from the field and 17.9 from three. I am surprised the Hawks did not lose by 20 or more to be honest.