With a complete house-cleansing of the entire roster during the offseason, the starting lineup for the Atlanta Hawks is going to look extremely different.
The Atlanta Hawks now have a foundation and core of youth that should get major playing time this upcoming season. A matter of who starts and who doesn’t may or may not vary depending on how the season goes. Who the starters will be at the beginning of the regular season may be well up in the air as well.
Based on how the roster is shaped and the situations regarding each player on the team, here is Soaring Down South’s Projected Starting Lineup for the 2017-2018 Atlanta Hawks team.
Point Guard: Dennis Schroder
After a successful first season as Atlanta’s full time starting point guard, Dennis Schroder returns this year aiming to become the new face of the Hawks franchise.
Schroder will be taking on a new leadership role unlike any he has had to take on before. Adjusting to the role as the team’s new go-to scorer and overall best player is one that can either see Dennis take an enormous leap in his production, or initially struggle to adapt.
Dennis has come along way in terms of his level of play and maturity over the years, and has evolved into an excellent starting point guard for the Atlanta Hawks. Our bets are that Schroder is going to have a star-like season this year.
Shooting Guard: Kent Bazemore
After losing his starting position last year to Tim Hardaway Jr., Kent Bazemore looks to have a year of redemption coming up. After signing a large scale contract in the offseason prior, Bazemore struggled vitally as the Atlanta Hawks were expecting increased production from the Old Dominion product.
With less pressure on him this year Kent Bazemore looks to ease himself back into the game he’s accustomed to playing. He has always been an outstanding defender, and when his shot is on he can be an excellent scorer. The offensive streakiness is something Bazemore has to improve on in order to be a starter going forward.
Hopefully with eased expectations Bazemore can thrive without the pressure of having to play great. He is now one of the more experienced players on the roster, and can hopefully take on more of a leadership role next season.
Small Forward: Taurean Prince
Taurean Prince came on so strongly at the end of his rookie season, and played exceptionally well in the postseason series against the Washington Wizards. Now he comes into his second NBA season as a returning starter looking to take that next step.
Prince should have a major increase in statistical averages next season, as well as a major increase in minutes played. He has shown the potential he has to be an excellent player in this league, now he just needs to continually improve his game. If all goes well, Prince will the Atlanta Hawks’ starting 3 next season and for many seasons to come.
Power Forward: Ersan Ilyasova
Many would love to see rookie John Collins be the Atlanta Hawks starting power forward right off the bat. Speaking reasonably, this role should belong to Ersan Ilyasova at the beginning of the regular season.
Even if Atlanta is in a tanking state, it is a better idea to have him come off the bench and play against opposing role players to start his NBA career. Mike Budenholzer can ease Collins into the rotation as he becomes more and more ready throughout the season.
Until then, Ilyasova has earned the right to start for the Hawks. He was successful off the bench for Atlanta last season, and showed he is committed to playing here by re-signing with the team this offseason. Ersan will serve as a major veteran prescience in terms of John Collins’ improvement as well, making him even more valuable to the Hawks.
Center: Dewayne Dedmon
The main acquisition for the Hawks in free agency was signing former San Antonio Spur Dewayne Dedmon to a two-year deal. Dedmon should fit right into this lineup as the starting center. Outstanding defensive big man with great size at 7-feet and a total glass eater, Dedmon can be the physical defensive prescience the Hawks have been lacking at the center position.
Dedmon may only be with the Atlanta Hawks for a year, as he will likely opt out and test free agency again next year. This doesn’t mean that he can’t have a big year now. He is a spry big that can do the dirty work down low. Atlanta fans are going to love this one.