2024 Hawks Offseason Thread: What's Next? 2024-25 Season Outlook.

[AHF]

I would put Hunter more in the category of glue guy.  He was the only competent defender of wings last year so when he wasn’t around the defense broke and fell apart much like without JJ at PF.  He can hold things together.  That is super impactful on a team like last year’s roster.  It projects to be less impactful going forward since we should do the novel thing and have more than 1 wing defender on the roster at a time.  
 

Hunter is a solid scorer and solid defender.  He can contribute on both ends.  That has real value and as a strong wing (physically he should not get tossed around) that has a place in this team.  The fact that he will never be the instinctual or creating player some of us envisioned makes him a bit overpaid but I would happily live with overpaying him rather than live with too few competent wings.  Health remains the biggest question mark for me.

The fact that we potentially took his replacement in the starting lineup at 1 this year makes his standout play off the bench last year an even bigger positive.

[Peoriabird]

3 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

( Joakim Noah voice )

 

You like De'Andre Hunter?   You think Hunter is cool?

Has anyone ever described Hunter as "putting someone in jail on defense" . . or "that De'andre Hunter is EVERYWHERE on defense"?

Is De'andre Hunter ever going to make an All-Defensive team?

 

What's so good about De'andre Hunter?

 

 

[Peoriabird]

2 minutes ago, AHF said:

I would put Hunter more in the category of glue guy.  He was the only competent defender of wings last year so when he wasn’t around the defense broke and fell apart much like without JJ at PF.  He can hold things together.  That is super impactful on a team like last year’s roster.  It projects to be less impactful going forward since we should do the novel thing and have more than 1 wing defender on the roster at a time.  
 

Hunter is a solid scorer and solid defender.  He can contribute on both ends.  That has real value and as a strong wing that has a place in this team.  The fact that he will never be the instinctual or creating player some of us envisioned makes him a bit overpaid but I would happily live with overpaying him rather than live with too few competent wings.  Health remains the biggest question mark for me.

Agreed..his main negative is his lack of vision and instincts to make a plays for teammates. He can rebound but he chooses not to regularly but otherwise his game is more than adequate.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

1 minute ago, Peoriabird said:

Most of the teams in the league have as their main goal in the half court set is to get Hunter off of their primary score whether it is high pick in roll involving Young/Murray/Bogie or just go after Capela. He has very good point of attack defense which will be much easier to see when he teams up with another perimeter defender like Daniels.

I'm on my way to work, so I may pick this up later.  But I disagree that teams try to get Hunter off of their primary scorer.  There have been many times when the other team's main scorer has had their way against anyone the Hawks put on them, including Hunter.  No one in the NBA is afraid of anyone we had on defense.

What is your favorite De'Andre Hunter play on defense?  Or a game in which you distinctly remember his defense being the difference in a win?

[JayBirdHawk]

9 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Has anyone ever described Hunter as "putting someone in jail on defense" . .

Weeeelll....there was that one time or two he put Luka in jail early in his career....there is a 'famous' pic on the squawk of 'Hunter literally throwing Luka and a couple guys in jail'

[TheNorthCydeRises]

7 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

 

 

I would say this, and the James Harden game in that same year, that Hunter showed the defensive potential that all of us thought would translate from college.

But damn . . . that was 2021.  You'd think there would be more consistent performances like this, in which his defense really shut people down.

If AHF is correct, and Dre is a "glue guy", we can't act like he is an essential piece.

Glue guys are cool.  But I want impact players.  Daniels may turn out to be a defensive impact player.  Zacch may turn out to be an offensive impact player.

We got our maximum value with Bench Dre.  So either move him to the bench, or move him off the team to make way for more impact players.

[Final_quest]

8 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

 

This is the game everyone talks about, but he never followed up this performance to any significant degree.  I actually believe Luka was learning that he can't show up to a season and play his way into shape. 

It's like the one game where Okongwu won a few matchups with Giannis.  Neither Hunter or Okongwu are as good as those highlights suggest.  

[Spud2nique]

28 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Took me about 10 minutes if that.

 This is an original Burd (Buffay)? Nice  

[Peoriabird]

1 hour ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

I would say this, and the James Harden game in that same year, that Hunter showed the defensive potential that all of us thought would translate from college.

But damn . . . that was 2021.  You'd think there would be more consistent performances like this, in which his defense really shut people down.

If AHF is correct, and Dre is a "glue guy", we can't act like he is an essential piece.

Glue guys are cool.  But I want impact players.  Daniels may turn out to be a defensive impact player.  Zacch may turn out to be an offensive impact player.

We got our maximum value with Bench Dre.  So either move him to the bench, or move him off the team to make way for more impact players.

Go back and look at highlights...teams screen Hunter off of their primary scorer regularly and go at the aforementioned

[Spud2nique]

26 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Is Hunter an impact player?   

Yes or no.

 

Yes he impacts US losing… a lot.

[JayBirdHawk]

37 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

Has anyone ever described Hunter as "putting someone in jail on defense" . . 

 

26 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Weeeelll....there was that one time or two he put Luka in jail early in his career....there is a 'famous' pic on the squawk of 'Hunter literally throwing Luka and a couple guys in jail'

2021 Hunter started off that season on a defensive tear. Unfortunately....injuries and his inability to stay on the floor derailed it.

....I'm sure there is an image of a fuller jail  

 

[Mikey]

10 hours ago, JTB said:

Agree 1000% and Ayton is a perfect fit with Trae and this team.

@NBASupes you confirmed this a week or so ago that Ayton was a target. Has anything changed that you can share ?

would love to know if any other insiders can share any possibilities on trading for Ayton …. @Mikey @Sothron @thecampster

Have not heard anything. Once this deal expands and is completed on what I guess is July 6th then I assume one of Clint or Nance will be moved. Maybe Dre but not expecting much 

[NBASupes]

26 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Yes he impacts US losing… a lot.

No he doesn't. He impacts winning

3 minutes ago, Mikey said:

Have not heard anything. Once this deal expands and is completed on what I guess is July 6th then I assume one of Clint or Nance will be moved. Maybe Dre but not expecting much 

I think the Pels are doing extra work as well for Brandon Ingram to Sacramento so we aren't close to done yet. 

Dre was gonna be moved to Detroit but they choose Hardaway Jr instead so Dre is still here. 

Edited July 5 by NBASupes

[Spud2nique]

3 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

No he doesn't. He impacts winning

Indeed, that’s why every team is burning our lines to snag him from us. We’ve been a top 5 defensive team in the league ever since he’s been here….

 

No broh, no. If you like the guy for whatever reason that’s fine, I loved Spud Webb but I knew he wasn’t as good as Mookie, Trae etc. Comon baby git it togetha! You bettern dat.

[NBASupes]

Just now, Spud2nique said:

Indeed, that’s why every team is burning our lines to snag him from us. We’ve been a top 5 defensive team in the league ever since he’s been here….

 

No broh, no. If you like the guy for whatever reason that’s fine, I loved Spud Webb but I knew he wasn’t as good as Mookie, Trae etc. Comon baby git it togetha! You bettern dat.

That's his contract. He's overpaid for the 2nd apron era. 

[Spud2nique]

5 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

Dre was gonna be moved to Detroit but they choose Hardaway Jr

 How could the Pistons pass on an all defensive player to grab a chucker? 

[Spud2nique]

I’m not joking here when I say I got relieved to see Vit go in the game to replace Hunter. Now I love Vit but if you were the #4 pick in the draft don’t act like you been groomed to have an NBA career like a certain #2 pick in the 2005 draft.  

[Spud2nique]

In fact, I’ll go as far as to say if Dre was “THAT DOG ON D” we would have been a much better team over the last couple years. It’s not all on him but the dude is a STARTER, so he gets a big share of the success or lack there of as far as our record and wins.

[AHF]

This goes for everyone:  engage on the topic or content of other people's posts.  No name calling or the like.

[AHF]

Note:  Insider discussion on NO trade moved to Insider thread.