Atlanta Hawks Preview

New Faces

During the off-season, the Hawks welcomed several new faces while letting some fan favorites move on. Kent Bazemore, Taurean Prince, and Dwayne Dedmon are no longer sporting the Hawks logo. Taurean will be missed the most out of those three, but he should thrive in his new role in Brooklyn. Now for our new faces! Through trade or free agency, the Hawks managed to bring in Allen Crabbe, Chandler Parsons, Evan Turner, Jabari Parker, and Damian Jones. With this mixture of savvy vets and young, hungry players, I am very optimistic about this upcoming season.

What to watch for

Everything starts and stops with how effective Trae can be from start to finish. Thankfully he will begin this season with a better roster than he had during his forgettable November of last season. He shot 35% from the field and 19% from three-point land. Surely a healthy John Collins, as well as the other additions, will relieve Trae of some pressure. Furthermore, look for Trae to solidify himself as one of the best point guards in the league this year. Last year he joined Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only rookies to have 40(+) points while dishing out ten or more dimes. That is some very elite company. Trae has the perfect mixture of passing ability as well as the tools to score on all three levels, and I expect him to build off of his rookie campaign.

Are John Collins and Kevin Huerter ready to take the next step? Collins showed flashes of his tremendous athletic ability and smooth shooting stroke last year. However, he spent the year hampered by injuries, and that can be a cause for concern. With a relatively healthy training camp and preseason, Collins looks bouncy and ready to help carry this Hawks team to new heights(pun intended). Huerter is enjoyable to watch. He has good size and above-average athletic ability. He also has a flamethrower for a jump shot. Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Huerter and Trae could potentially become the new version of the splash brothers. There I said it.

Remember us?

Jabari Parker and Evan Turner. Two former number two overall draft picks in Atlanta via free agency/trade; that usually never happens. I think these two acquisitions will both be significant for the improvement of this year’s team. Parker can give the Hawks a viable scoring option when Collins goes to the bench. He’s already on his fourth team entering his seventh year, so expect him to play with a chip on his shoulder. Evan Turner, on the other hand, should bring a calmness to the team. There isn’t much he hasn’t seen in this league, and his basketball IQ should do wonders for this young team.

The Rooks!

I am incredibly excited about these guys. De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, and Bruno Fernando. Hunter is coming off a national championship with Virginia and has been marginalized to a potential 3- and- D guy. Well, Coach Pierce seems to have other plans. Throughout the preseason, Hunter has surprised many people with his shooting stroke. He has also shown his willingness to create shots, for himself and others, off the dribble. If his offensive game continues to grow and his defense is as good as advertised, we may have a star on our hands.

Bruno Fernando’s situation is compelling. He has a big frame and an athletic ability that allows him to run the floor. However, I’m most intrigued with his shooting ability. His shot looks good, and he’s willing to take them. If he can make them consistently, his floor spacing will prove to be extremely helpful. Keep an eye on Bruno.

Now, Cam Reddish is my personal favorite. His offensive game is so smooth to the point it’s hard to tell if he’s trying. He shoots the ball so effortlessly, and his long arms allow him to disrupt passing lanes. Unfortunately, Coach Pierce expressed not necessarily knowing where to put Cam on offense. Is he better on the ball? Could the corner specialist be his role? Should he be the roll, man? These questions were evident during the preseason, and that resulted in Cam spending most of his time quietly in the corner. I expect Cam to start making a consistent impact around December/ early January once the coaching staff has had time to experiment with him.

Patience

The city of Atlanta has plenty to be excited about concerning the Hawks. The front office, coaching staff, and young players are all on the same timeline with room to grow. The last and most important factor is how fast can Coach Pierce incorporate this exciting collection of players. That will be the difference in being in the playoff hunt, and being in the playoffs. Nonetheless, Trae Young and company have the Hawk’s future looking bright.

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