With the World Cup over two weeks ago, DNA of Sports is starting its traditional presentation, franchise by franchise, of the upcoming NBA season. Like every year, this takes the form of a countdown, from the teams expected at the bottom of the ranking to our favorite for the champion title.
Today, place for the Hawks, who seem to be stagnating in the East after having given rise to great ambitions in Georgia following their run in the 2021 playoffs, which ended on the verge of the final. Because since this performance, Atlanta fans haven’t had much to eat.
If the 2021/22 season could be compared to a mistake marked by an elimination in the first round without home advantage, the 2022/23 financial year will once again have been a failure, despite the reinforcement of Dejounte Murray. As with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, we can ask ourselves the question of the interest of associating two leaders who need to have the ball in hand to express themselves.
For the moment, it is not glorious since the two franchises ended their season in an impasse, notably costing Nate McMillan his place, replaced during the year. by Quin Snyder.
Atlanta, however, managed to reach the playoffs but only to create an illusion against the Celtics. Ironically, it was when Dejounte Murray was absent that the Hawks delivered their best game of the series on the Boston floor, before being eliminated in Game 6…
It now remains to be seen whether the adjustments will pay off in the long term, especially since Atlanta has managed to keep its hard core outside of the departure of John Collins. Clint Capela And Bogdan Bogdanovic are still there and will still be important to preserve the balance of the team, on the Serbian’s contribution off the bench and the Swiss’ undermining work around the circles. Alongside them, we can imagine players like De’Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin, Saddiq Bey or Onyeka Okongwu gain importance, without forgetting the summer contributions of Patty Mills Or Wesley Matthews in terms of outside shooting, within a team which must regain efficiency in the exercise (35.2% success, 21st).
Quin Snyder will also have had more time to develop his philosophy and his playing principles. Will everything be enough to get a Top 8, or even Top 6 without trembling? The question remains.
SUMMER MOVEMENTS
Arrivals: Wesley Matthews, Patty Mills, Kobe Bufkin (15th pick), Mouhamed Gueye (39th pick), Seth Lundy (46th pick)
Departures : John Collins, Aaron Holiday, Donovan Williams
PLAYER TO FOLLOW: TRAE YOUNG
Who is the Boss ? More than ever, the challenge for the Hawks’ success will also lie in respecting the hierarchy decreed by Quin Snyder. In this case, despite what Dejounte Murray showed in his last season in San Antonio, the boss of Atlanta remains Trae Young.
The rumors of departure have not come to fruition and the management team is hopeful of seeing its protégés do better than last season in this configuration. For this to be successful, the Hawks will need Trae Young in top form, on and off the court to guide this team and be the leader it needs.
On a statistical level, he certainly lost a little in outside skill (33.5%) and he was the player who lost the most balls in the league (4.1) but he remains a real offensive threat, in scoring and creation. .
Rather than seeing his weak points (defense, etc.), Quin Snyder will have to highlight the many qualities of Trae Young, to make him the “unplayable” player that he can be. This will require refocusing on your strengths: reading pick-and-rolls, driving, creating space for others and of course your touch to finish near the circle. Perhaps the presence of Patty Mills, a seasoned veteran, will help bring out the best in his game.
Average age: 26.1 years
Payroll: $157 million (20th)
THE IDEAL SCENARIO
After a few months used to get his bearings, Quin Snyder manages to establish a real playing identity for these Hawks by managing to ensure a good balance, readjusted by the arrivals of two elite snipers. The “role players” all manage to find their place and make their contribution, all orchestrated by a Young-Murray tandem who understand each other better and better and manage to shine together, and no longer alongside each other.
The mayonnaise sets, the team regains its enthusiasm of 2021 and quickly manages to climb into the good half of the table in the East.
Trae Young, more invested defensively, and his small army of good soldiers (Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter, Saddiq Bey, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Patty Mills, Wesley Matthews, AJ Griffin…) regain efficiency behind the 3-line. points, and the Hawks find the playoffs. Without even going through the “play-in” box.
THE WORST SCENARIO
Something is seriously broken in Atlanta. Despite a complete training camp, Quin Snyder has difficulty imposing his ideas, Trae Young and Dejounte Murray monopolizing the game, without much effectiveness.
This offensive imbalance is also paid for in defense, where Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter, Saddiq Bey, Bogdan Bogdanovic and company do not really want to cover the back of the “backcourt” even though they know that they have little chances of seeing the ball on the other side of the field.
Atlanta manages to stay at the level of the waterline, by the sole force of the talent of its workforce, but Quin Snyder, recruited with the priority of diagnosing the viability of this roster, concludes after a sad exit in “play-in” that we need to shake up this group. And Trae Young walks out the door at the end of the campaign.
| WESTERN CONFERENCE | ||||
| 15 – Blazers | 14 – Spurs | 13 – Rockets | 12 – Jazz | 11 – … |
| 10 – … | 9 – … | 8 – … | 7 – … | 6 – … |
| 5 – … | 4 – … | 3 – … | 2 – … | 1 – … |
