The 3-3 Hawks have yet to recapture the momentum that propelled them to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, writes Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. With an intimidating schedule coming up in which Atlanta will play several 2021 playoff teams, Kirschner offers his thoughts on how the club can adjust.
While forwards Cam Reddish and John Collins have exhibited plenty of growth, other key Hawks players have struggled a bit. Point guard Trae Young is struggling to adjust to the league’s new free throw rules, while shooting guard Kevin Huerter is struggling to connect from deep.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- The Hornets have already enjoyed a promising start to the 2021/22 season, writes Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. New additions Ish Smith and Kelly Oubre have fit in well thus far, with Oubre connecting on a solid 35.7% of his three-point looks. 2022 restricted free agent forward Miles Bridges has taken his scoring to borderline All-Star heights, and Boone is pegging his future contract in the $100MM vicinity. When it comes to perimeter depth, Boone observes that Cody Martin, Jalen McDaniels, and Nick Richards are also improving.
- The hot start of the Heat has Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel wondering if team president Pat Riley has finally nailed the club’s supporting lineup around All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The club has wholly recalibrated its frontcourt depth around Adebayo, and the early results have paid dividends thus far. The addition of former Raptors All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry has made a huge defensive impact on Miami, though his offense is struggling so far. Sixth man Tyler Herro also appears to have taken a leap in his third season.
- Heat All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler has thrived alongside new addition Kyle Lowry. Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald wonders if Butler has been newly maximized as a player alongside the former six-time All-Star point guard.
Hawks seem to be resting on their laurels so far this season. I expected some regression, but they seem genuinely disinterested early on.
It’s clearly not any lack of interest lol I mean that doesn’t even make sense
I was a little surprised the Hawks went so all in on the team they have. Don’t get me wrong, they are a good young team, but they def don’t have what it takes to go to the next level as currently constituted.
Did you miss last year’s postseason?
Did you miss that the bucks nets heat are on another level than they are?
The Bucks are the reigning champs & no I didn’t miss that lol. And when it comes to what I referenced, the postseason, the other 2 teams u named are below the Hawks & no I didn’t miss that either lol
There’s a know it all Hawks fan here. Who thinks this team is the next great thing. I agree with you. It’s why I say they should go after CJ or Beal. Get that true scorer. They have the assets to do it. When you have a chance to go for a ring. You have to take big swings.
Right on Cue …… lol. Last year is last year.
You agree with me that this team is great yet you think we need a true scorer lol make up your mind. Last yr we started 14-20 & still destroyed your team lol. This year we’re healthier and more talented yet you think we need an overhaul. Smh you’re all over the place dude, make up your mind
Hornets are finally putting the pieces together. Good young talent on this team. I can see them in playoffs. And a tough out.
We gotta get Cam back in that starting lineup asap. Bogdan & Kev had great chemistry in the playoffs last yr & putting them together on the 2nd unit would be a good recipe to put them both back on the right track. Also Cam has been the best player on the team so far. Dre gotta get back to the aggressiveness he was showing last season before his injury too. Trae is clearly a target for the refs this season and hopefully that dies down at some point. Overall the Hawks will be alright tho. I sorta wish we would have waited on that extension for Kev tho
Hawks I believe still should go in on Brandon Ingram.
Bogi, Reddish and Okungwu plus a first or two for Ingram.
Hawks will then have a core of Trae Ingram and Collins as the headliners with Hueter Capela Gallo Hunter and others as the role players.
Trae will excel in having another all star level teammate in Ingram who can take pressure off him to score. Ingram is also a good playmaker and can help create for others.
Especially matching up in the east with the bucks, Heat, Sixers and Celtics. (The usual top dogs)
They have lockdown guard defenders like Holiday, Butler, Simmons and Smart and they will give Trae problems if he doesn’t have enough help.
Pelicans say yes cause it gives Zion Cam Reddish his mate from duke. You get Bogi who helps you get to the playoffs and Okungwu who could be a good option for the future plus some picks
Hard pass
Trae kills Jrue Holiday. Please rewatch gm1 of the most recent ECF. Simmons gives him the most trouble but as you just saw our other playmakers stepped up to lead us past Philly. Butler & Smart also can not deal with Trae & history has shown this. BI is a great player, especially offensively but Cam could legit be just as good as BI sooner than later. Trae already has all star level teammates in JC & Capela. Dre & Cam are otw to being all star level guys as well. As I said before we would lose shooting, defense & rebounding if we traded Bogi, Cam & O for BI. Throwing in draft picks just makes it laughable. Only thing NO could offer that would entice us is Zion
Trae has 1 all star season 2 years ago. That’s it for the team. You mentioned about 5 all stars on the team.
Your reading comprehension needs work. Go back and reread what I said about the all-star level guys on the Hawks
Trae is great I’m not saying that but look at Harden, he often had another good teammates and still couldn’t do it all himself.
So yes Trae might get past Smart in the first round but what about then having Butler in the second then Holiday in the ECF and so on.
Reddish won’t ever be as good as BI especially on offence.
JC and Capela both aren’t all star but they are good help. And come playoffs your going to need a better sidekick. Lakers have Bron, AD and Russ, GSW have Curry Klay Wiggins and Green, Nets with KD Kyrie Harden Aldridge and so on. Trae JC and Capela aren’t even close to that level. Dre and Reddish I heavily doubt will ever be all stars.
Obviously your a Hawks fan and I can see the bias that’s cool but I think realistically your going to need an all star level player upgrade and Zion isn’t at all realistic for you guys
Hardens teammates picked him up and helped Houston come back from being down 3-1 to LAC when he wasn’t at his best. His teammates helped him make it to the WCF twice. Trae has an even better supporting cast than Harden did in Houston & those guys helped the Hawks win 2 series last postseason. We even won a game vs the eventual champ Bucks after Trae was injured in the ECF. That supporting cast just got even stronger this off-season with the return of Cam & Dre & with the addition of Delon Wright. It seems pretty obvious that you are only looking at guys names instead of their games. I highly suggest you watch a lil more of Cam Reddish and DeAndre Hunter. Both of those guys are much more talented than you realize. I have to wonder if you saw any of the NBA playoffs last season lol. You question whether Trae can be effective vs tough defenders in the playoffs like he didn’t already just roast the #1 defense in the league (Knicks), the #1 perimeter defender in the league & the #1 team in the East (Simmons & the 76ers) and you keep bringing up Jrue Holiday like he didn’t give him 48pts in Milwaukee in gm1 of the ECF. If not for a ref injuring Trae the Hawks probably win the East last season, we had taken home court adv & were winning gm3 going into the 4th qtr when he got hurt. If Trae gets hurt again the Hawks are gonna be in trouble. Other than that we’re good lol
I love how people are trying to overhaul the Hawks after only 6 games hilarious. We’re still trying to get 100% healthy. Bogi Huerter Capela and Hunter aren’t 100% and its showing. Cam is streaky and hot right now but I don’t think he should start quite yet. OO is out also. Delon is still trying to get acquainted with the team. Hold your horses people lol. If we are .500 at the all star break then I will start changing stuff…trade Gallo and/or Bogi…but at 6 games in, I’m not worried at all.
Yea it’s crazy, but these folks aren’t used to the Hawks being this good and obv don’t watch the Hawks at all so it’s a lil understandable that they don’t get it. But I’m definitely curious to why you don’t think Cam should be starting. I thought he should be the starting 2 before the season & he’s shown that he deserves to be the starter with his play so far. He’s arguably our best defender (better than Dre or Clint) & that alone is reason enough to start him before we even get to how well he’s scoring so far this season
Because he’s proven nothing as of yet but that he is extremely streaky. Yes he has had a couple of good games…but does that override the experience that Bogi, domestically and internationally? I think not. I mean Huerter had a great game 7 against the Sixers, does that mean he should start? No. Cam needs the number 1/2 option reps on the second unit. I think he does start eventually, I just don’t think he is there yet offensively.
I think the Hawks have enough to win a title in several years without getting another star. The big obstacle is getting Trae-like quality out of Trae while their other young talent develops. Surely it is hard to compete as maniacally as he has, and without the space he may not get again with the new officiating.
They have scoring depth more then multiple stars, which only two is necessary anyway.
Should they use this depth for a trade?— There may not be stars loose in the firmanent that they can grab anyway.