I really like this squad for 2024-25

[AHF]

23 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I don't think enough consideration is being given to how bad DJ/Bey/Hunter were as a group at the most important positions.  Individually they're stats look ok but just not enough impact on the game.  Add to that no backup PF and we were just weak 2-4.   Our most effective lineups all had Bogi in them.  

So having DD, Zacc, and Nance is big step in the right direction potentially.  Do i wish we had more proven talent?  Absolutely but I'm glad to be moving in the right direction at least. 

I guess i see DD/Bogi/Zacc/Hunter  >>>  DJ/Bogi/Hunter/Bey.   At least i'm hoping!

Definitely agree that we should have better fit this season from a variety of perspectives.  This is a very interesting team.  More unknowns coming into this year than any year since the ECF and all of them have some upside.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

1 &2 sound eerily similar I concur Glendo!

[JayBirdHawk]

Predicting Hawks' record after 2024-25 season schedule release

 

A fast start is needed

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The best thing that you can do in any sport is start fast, especially basketball. The Hawks didn't have a fast start last season, and they paid for it for the remainder of the season. Luckily for the Hawks, they have a favorable schedule to start the year. The first four of their five games are against the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards, all teams that did not have great seasons last year.

This will be the perfect opportunity for the Hawks to get the season started on the right note, and it will also be a test for them to see where they are as a team. If they drop some of those games, it could mean that they're still trying to figure things out which could be a cause for concern.

Record predictionWith some new faces on the roster and the Eastern Conference not getting any easier, the Hawks could be in for a long season, but there's no doubt they have the talent to compete every night. Depending on how players such as Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher perform over the season, this Hawks team could surprise some people, or they could once again be a middle-of-the-pack team. The best case is that they're in the sixth through eighth seed range. 48 wins last year in the Eastern Conference was able to get a team to the fourth seed, but things could be different this season.

Prediction: 48-34

 

https://clutchpoints.com/predicting-hawks-record-after-2024-25-season-schedule-release

[JayBirdHawk]

Despite Incentive To Win, Going Younger Could Be Right Path For Hawks

 

The Atlanta Hawks had a big summer. They drafted Zaccharie Risacher first overall in the draft, and later traded away Dejounte Murray for a package that included Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance, setting themselves up for a potentially odd season.

 

What the Hawks didn't do, which in hindsight could end up looking like a missed opportunity, was pivot off Clint Capela.

 

With Onyeka Okongwu in-hand, it remains curious as to why the Hawks seem to insist keeping him in a backup role. Okongwu, 23, has been a strong two-way player since he was drafted sixth overall in 2020, producing efficient offense (64% from the field, and 75.4% from the foul line for his career), and consistent mistake-free defense, even if he isn't an overpowering defender due to his 6'8 size.

 

Furthermore, Okongwu is on a deal that's wildly beneficial to the Hawks, as he signed a four-year rookie extension worth just $62 million, which kicks off this season. His cap percentage this season will be at a measly 9.96% and, due to expected cap increases, will decrease to 9.02% by 2027-2028, while presumably getting better.

 

Generally speaking, the Hawks seem to be stuck between the present and the future.

Young, an All-Star caliber point guard, who the organization chose over Murray this very summer, is turning 26 next month, suggesting he's not necessarily at an age where he's ready to undergo a major rebuilding process which will last years.

Capela, 30, most certainly is on the older side for a rebuild as well. Bogdan Bogdanović, the team's primary shooting guard, is 32 and likely closer to retirement than he is being part of a new core in 4-5 years.

The recently acquired Daniels is 21, aligning well with the drafting of Risacher, 19, and Okongwu. Jalen Johnson, a candidate for the league's Most Improved Player award before he got disqualified by not playing enough games, is just 22.

There is a core in Atlanta set up for the future, just as there is one ready to roll for the present. Eventually, something has got to give.

As for Atlanta's seemingly constant patience, don't expect them to get significantly worse this season. The San Antonio Spurs own their 2025 first-round selection, fully unprotected, giving the Hawks no incentive to lose.

And that's where we come full circle with Capela and Okongwu. Even if the Hawks have no issue dragging their feet on making a call on the future, they might risk losing more games by simply not playing the younger player, who could break out in a larger role.

If the goal is to win as many games as possible, which one must assume is the case, it boils down to putting the best players on the floor. If the Hawks internally believe that player is Capela, then they should proceed as planned. But at the very least, they should be ready to make a change if Okongwu comes out looking like the superior option.

They literally have no other cards to play due to the lack of control of their own future.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mortenjensen/2024/08/23/despite-incentive-to-win-going-younger-could-be-right-path-for-hawks/

[Gray Mule]

Remember, last season, Charlotte had our number.  Will they continue to be a thorn in our flesh?  Stay tuned.

Hawks have too many young players for some of them to not break out.  We don't really know.  Not yet.  Someone, and hopefully several of these Young Hawks, are set to shine this season.  Some on the roster and more on the Skyhawks!!

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Prediction: 48-34

That’s. Pretty optimist look I like it! Change from the usual folks trashing us. Who is this?

[JTB]

There’s too many X factors for this team in my opinion surrounding a bunch of IFs

 

IF Dyson Daniel’s projects to be the elite defender we believe he can be…

IF #1 draft pick Risacher, can have a stand out rookie season showcasing 2 ability and good off ball scoring….

IF the hawks can keep what looks like a strong bench unit together for the season…

IF OO can show that he can consistently hit corner 3s to space the floor as a potential starter…..

IF the team defense has truly improved over overall….

IF Jalen can take another big step forward as an all star caliber forward….

 

yeah I mean there’s a lot more IFs than guarantees, sprinkled in with a few almost guarantees! lol 

it’s all good though. If we get to mid 40s in the win category I’d say that’s a big win going forward…just not sure if it’s enough to keep Trae around 

[AHF]

4 minutes ago, JTB said:

There’s too many X factors for this team in my opinion surrounding a bunch of IFs

 

IF Dyson Daniel’s projects to be the elite defender we believe he can be…

DD isn't a question for me on the defensive side of the ball.  I think we'll get our money's worth there even if there is a question as to just how good he will be (All-NBA or DPOY are certainly ifs but he immediately steps in as our best perimeter defender in many years, imo).  

The IF on DD is what he does on the other side of the ball.  Can he emerge as a playmaker and consistent scorer?  How much better will he be as a scorer than someone like prime Thabo? (It should be a given that he will be a much better playmaker than Thabo but the scoring hasn't surpassed that level so far in his very young career).

[JTB]

10 minutes ago, AHF said:

DD isn't a question for me on the defensive side of the ball.  I think we'll get our money's worth there even if there is a question as to just how good he will be (All-NBA or DPOY are certainly ifs but he immediately steps in as our best perimeter defender in many years, imo).  

The IF on DD is what he does on the other side of the ball.  Can he emerge as a playmaker and consistent scorer?  How much better will he be as a scorer than someone like prime Thabo? (It should be a given that he will be a much better playmaker than Thabo but the scoring hasn't surpassed that level so far in his very young career).

Yeah I listed Daniel’s but I’m high on him. I do think he will give us some very good consistent defense . Possibly elite. 
 

He’s more on the guarantee side of things for us. The other things I listed are big IFs though in my opinion.

[AHF]

31 minutes ago, JTB said:

Yeah I listed Daniel’s but I’m high on him. I do think he will give us some very good consistent defense . Possibly elite. 
 

He’s more on the guarantee side of things for us. The other things I listed are big IFs though in my opinion.

I view his defense as being the guarantee side.  His offense is a big IF.

[macdaddy]

My biggest issues

1. A big rotation of JJ,Nance,OO, Capela is lacking in scoring punch.  

2. Is Kobe ready for prime time in terms of running the offense when Trae is out.  

3. Wing play on both ends but i like our rotation of DD/Bogi/Zacc/Hunter so much better than what we had last year.  

[Packfill]

I think the teams wing defense with the addition of DD and ZR should improve substantially.  The real question is whether that improvement can offset the reduction in floor spacing/shooting and the natural issues of dealing with relying on inexperienced players. 

I am expecting a slow start to the season for the Hawks as they look to build chemistry and gain experience with their young roster.  

[RedDawg#8]

Floor spacing wise, we are returning 5 of our top-7 3pt shooters. Windler and Mills are the 2 guys we lost and I don’t have to remind yal that they weren’t regular contributors.

Of our regular contributors, DJ (8th on team) and Bey (13th on team) are gone and will be replaced by ZR and DD.

I know we are worried about a DD but he shot basically the same from 3 as Bey did last season (.314 to .316) That’s not an endorsement, but just acknowledging we weathered a horrible shooting season from someone we thought would be among the best on the team. 

You still have snipers in Bogi and Meth Bogi, and a young potential volume shooter in ZR. Not to mention, our 4th Big this season (Nance Jr) can actually shoot threes with confidence compared to a Bruno.

I don’t think our floor will be much worse than it was last season. Any uptick from OO, JJ, or DD will have an exponential impact on our spacing.

[AHF]

Bey was dreadful shooting last season.  Please never show me numbers that our big new player shot worse than his career nadir season.  Thanks!

[JeffS17]

9 hours ago, AHF said:

Bey was dreadful shooting last season.  Please never show me numbers that our big new player shot worse than his career nadir season.  Thanks!

Bey's 3P% never felt sustainable because of his shot mechanics, hate that he got injured but not a big loss for us

[Gray Mule]

7 hours ago, JeffS17 said:

Bey's 3P% never felt sustainable because of his shot mechanics, hate that he got injured but not a big loss for us

David Roddy has, from what I can read, the same kind of game as Bey.  

[AHF]

9 hours ago, JeffS17 said:

Bey's 3P% never felt sustainable because of his shot mechanics, hate that he got injured but not a big loss for us

Can't fully agree with you on what to expect from his corner 3's.  These are his %s by season:

2020-21 39.0%

2021-22 40.3%

2022-23 40.7%

2023-24 29.0%

 

One of these things is not like the others.  It was a brutal season for him but I think you would be smarter to bank on a rebound for his %s on that shot in his next full season.  The reason I'm not concerned about him going isn't that we couldn't use him but is all about the fact that he is going to be injured for most of the season.  We need to be competing this season and carrying someone who will be out for most of the year just doesn't make sense.  His metrics were strong coming off the bench in Atlanta which is his appropriate role for any team going forward.  When he gets back to being healthy, he will make a very useful rotation forward off the bench for some team.

[JayBirdHawk]

Dyson Daniels Defense...DDD.

 

 

[Vol4ever]

I just see too many average players on the roster.   Trae is asuperstar, JJ is a good player. Bogi is a border line allstar.  The rook has alot to prove.  Rest of the bunch are decent role players but there is just not enough nba talent on the roster imo.  This team will really have to achieve to win 37 games.  Once the league shuts down trey, Bogi will have to carry the load. 

I hope I'm dead wrong of course.