Soaring Down South
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One Skill Every Atlanta Hawks Starter Must Improve

By Colby Giacubeno

Dec 10, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) during the game against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) during the game against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 28, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver (26) and forward Kent Bazemore (24) celebrate against the Boston Celtics during the second half in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver (26) and forward Kent Bazemore (24) celebrate against the Boston Celtics during the second half in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

The Atlanta Hawks have had some shake-up to their starting lineup. What skill does each starter need to improve in order for the team to take the next step?

The Atlanta Hawks had a very interesting summer that included saying goodbye to two of their cornerstone players in Jeff Teague and Al Horford.

At first, the loss of these two were looked at as a huge step back, but once the dust settled, there are still plenty of reasons to remain optimistic that the Hawks will be a strong team in the Eastern Conference.

There always comes a time where moving on is the best for both parties involved. For both Horford and Teague, moving to a different team was a better situation for the team and for them individually after nine-straight postseason appearances, but zero trips to the NBA Finals.

The addition of Dwight Howard has the possibility of being a major move for the Hawks if he can return to dominant form in the paint. The Dennis Schroder-era in Atlanta has begun and the 22-year-old will get his first chance as the starting point guard for the 2016-17 season.

ESPN didn’t seem very impressed with their offseason moves. In their summer forecast, they predicted the Hawks finishing sixth in the East with a 44-38 record–a four-game decrease in wins from last season’s 48-34 record.

One thing is for sure, the Hawks will be back in the playoffs for the tenth-straight season. Where they fall in the standings is another conversation. If the starters can all improve their games in certain ways, it makes their chances of cracking the top four much greater.

Let’s take a look at what skills the starters need to improve on to have a big 2016-17 season.

Next: Point Guard

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