With a lackluster season in the year 2018, the Atlanta Hawks finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-53, the organization has made big changes within the roster in efforts to bolster a young roster with more depth and a stronger veteran presence. The Hawks have one of the younger teams in the league, while shifting majority focus to developing their duo in point guard Trae Young and forward John Collins. With the recent additions of De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish after this year’s NBA Draft, the amount of potential on this roster is deep. On top of the young talent that the organization has acquired over the offseason, they’ve also made moves in acquiring players that can make a legitimate impact on the floor.
Young averaged 19.1 points per game on 41.8% shooting, 3.7 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. With numbers such as this over the course of 81 games coming from a rookie is astounding, allotting him enough votes to be recognized as the runner-up in last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Young has been a 3-PT threat the entire season, and that doesn’t seem likely to change with the season to come. Teams around the league know that Young is going to score the ball and his future gets only brighter from this point on. The only minor concern could be that, like other soon to be second year players in the league, may suffer from the “Sophomore slump”, where players find themselves not producing the same way they once did a season prior. Now if that is a matter of superstition or teams making the correct adjustments defensively, fans will see in time whether or not Young can live up to the challenge.
The other half to the other young Hawks duo in John Collins has made a name for himself in also being an offensive force for the Hawks last season, averaging 19.5 points per game on 56% shooting, 9.8 rebounds, and 2 assists versus his rookie season averaging only 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. With a 6’11 wingspan and very impressive athleticism, the 2017 19th draft pick also has the potential to be a dominant presence on the defensive end of the floor, getting his hands into passing lanes, blocking shots, or coming over to help defensively. Going into his third season of his career, the league is starting to see Collins’ full potential, as being a solid all-around player at the forward position for the Hawks.
This year’s NBA Draft was star-studded, with a multitude of big names going making their way into the league. The Atlanta Hawks were no strangers in acquiring talent in the draft, most notably with Virginia forward De’Andre Hunter and Duke forward Cam Reddish coming into the equation for the organization. Looking at the statistics for both rookies from their time in college, Hawks fans can believe that these two will be potential options offensively. Additionally, a perk in regards to these two players is their size, with Hunter listed as 6’7 and Reddish as a 6’8. This allows for both of them to potentially switch to several different positions throughout the season. This also gives them an edge defensively, being able to potentially defend from the point guard position on switches to the power forward position. A major concern in regards to Reddish however is in his play style. Reddish is a bonafide scorer, but his time at Duke did not exactly allow him to play how he has seen to be most effective, with ball in his hands. More times than naught fans would see Reddish playing as a spot-up shooter, waiting at the wings while the other ball handler’s would run the offense, as opposed to his fellow rookie teammate. Hunter seems to thrive spotting up or coming off the dribble and making the play inwards of the three-point line.
Shifting topics from youth of this team to the veterans, the Hawks have their fair share of solid players on the team hoping to make the difference for the organization. Most notably, Allen Crabbe of the Nets, Evan Turner of the Trailblazers, Chandler Parsons of the Grizzlies, and Jabari Parker of the Wizards. Crabbe and Parsons serve as a shooting threat from outside, Turner has been well-known throughout his career to be a solid all-around player, while Parker, despite suffering injuries throughout the stages of his career, has been a slashing force to be reckoned with.
In other news regarding the Hawks, however, is the headline of Vince Carter coming out saying he’ll be playing his last season with the Atlanta Hawks. Carter has spent the previous season with the Hawks, over an illustrious soon to be 20 plus season career. Despite his extensive time within the league, Carter is still able to play the game at an elite level, providing solid scoring off the bench with the occasional highlight reel dunk at the age of 42.
It is needless to say that the Hawks will be an exciting team to watch this season, with projections to do better than the season prior. With all their new acquisitions, and the hunger of the roster who remain, fans league-wide should keep their eyes on the Hawks in the East this coming October 2019.
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