Atlanta Hawks Headlines: Meeting Expectations, Summer Outlook, More
Atlanta Hawks Headlines returns to discuss the Hawks meeting expectations, the summer ahead, and much more.
Ah, summertime. Summer is all about relaxing. It’s a time to head to the beach, pop open a cold beverage, crack that Hemingway novel you never finished, and forget about real life for awhile. Unless you’re an NBA franchise. Then the summer is a stressful period where the decisions you make impact your organization for years to come.
The Atlanta Hawks are set to have a busy summer. They have seven pending free agents, assuming Paul Millsap opts out of his current contract, and very little cap space thanks to long-term deals with Dwight Howard and Kent Bazemore.
Several of those seven Hawks could find themselves in different uniforms next season. Of course, we won’t have any answers on that until the NBA Playoffs are over. The Hawks may be out of the running, but several former Hawks are still playing in the postseason.
Root for guys like Joe Johnson and Kyle Korver to get a ring as they approach the twilight of their careers. Yell at the television whenever Al Horford doesn’t get a rebound just to relive painful memories of postseasons from the past.
Or start watching the Braves more often and avoid the NBA altogether. Let’s get to today’s links.
From Soaring Down South 5/1/2017
The 2016-2017 Atlanta Hawks Met Preseason Expectations
Despite the painful ending, it’s fair to say that the Atlanta Hawks met preseason expectations during the 2016-17 season. They finished the season 43-39 and were the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference. They lost in Game 6 of the first round of the playoffs to the Washington Wizards. They had new starters at point guard and center, dealt with significant injuries during the year, and traded the best shooter in the history of the organization mid-season. They accomplished about as much as anyone could have hoped for.
More from Soaring Down South
- Start, Bench, Cut: Sorting through the Hawks’ power forward options
- Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic reacts to earning FIBA World Cup championship bid
- When does training camp start for the Atlanta Hawks?
- Grade the trade: Hawks deal Trae Young to Clippers in shocking proposal
- Dejounte Murray rips NBA 2K after Atlanta Hawks ratings reveal
What’s Next For The Atlanta Hawks?
What’s next for the Hawks? That’s anyone’s guess. First on the docket will be to re-sign Paul Millsap. Millsap plans to opt out of his current contract this summer. Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler has said that the team will look to bring him back. Despite the uncertainty surrounding their best player, the Hawks still have to be excited about their core of young players such as Dennis Schroder, Taurean Prince, and DeAndre’ Bembry. It looks like they’ll attempt to get younger while also staying competitive in the Eastern Conference.
From Around the Web 5/1/2017
Locked on Hawks podcast: Exit interviews and more
On Locked on Hawks, Brad Rowland talks exit interviews, Paul Millsap opting out, Dwight Howard’s recent comments, Summer League, and much more.
5-on-5: Will Paul Millsap return? What moves should Hawks make?
ESPN.com’s NBA Insiders discuss Atlanta’s summer plans. It seems that there is some thought among them that Paul Millsap could choose to leave for a contender, much like Al Horford did last summer. That result would be borderline disastrous for the Hawks, considering the fact that they chose to keep him at the Trade Deadline, rather than cash in on his value by trading him for draft picks and young players.
Dwight Howard found his decreasing role as an Atlanta Hawk ‘difficult’
At Yahoo!, Kelly Dwyer writes on Dwight Howard’s comments about his decreasing role with the Hawks in the postseason. Howard was benched in the fourth quarter several times during Atlanta’s playoff series against the Washington Wizards.
Hawks biggest offseason decision may be retaining Hardaway Jr
Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Atlanta’s biggest decision this summer may be whether or not to bring back Tim Hardaway Jr. Hardaway will be a restricted free agent is coming off of a breakout season.
Five questions with Mike Muscala
Vivlamore also speaks with Mike Muscala about the 2016-17 season and about what the future holds for him.
Next: Atlanta Hawks Headlines: It's Time For The Offseason
That’s all for today. Atlanta Hawks Headlines will return tomorrow.