This Atlanta Hawks season will bring optimism, here’s why
This season won’t be one full of victories, but it will do wonders to improve the outlook of the organization’s future.
What NBA team am I talking about when I say “Trust the Process”? Even the most casual of NBA fans instantly know the famous moniker of the Philadelphia 76ers. Of how it turned a sad and decimated fanbase and team into a rallying cry for one of the most exciting storylines of this upcoming NBA season.
The Atlanta Hawks are about to jump feet first into a rebuild, not quite on the epic level of Philadelphia back in 2013, but definitely one of substance. We’re not used to this as the Hawks were one of the more consistent teams in the NBA, making the playoffs for 10 straight seasons.
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That is almost guaranteed to change this season with the addition by subtraction of Dwight Howard and Paul Millsap. Atlanta was nowhere near contending in any of those 10 seasons, with the absolute peak of that run being a 2014 sweep at the hands of LeBron in the ECF.
However, the light at the end of the tunnel is bright even if we can’t see it right now. Philadelphia didn’t know 3 years ago that they would have an elite, young core with such an incredible ceiling in Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz and Joel Embiid. The Hawks have 2 high potential candidates in John Collins and Taurean Prince if the former plays defense and the latter develops ball-handling skills.
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The holy grail of that Philadelphia rebuild were its draft picks. The Hawks are likely to have 3 first round draft picks in this upcoming draft. Our own, a top 3 protected pick from Houston and a lottery protected pick from Minnesota. With the additions of Chris Paul and Jimmy Butler, Houston and Minnesota look poised to make the playoffs and therefore give up their picks.
Atlanta is likely to be one of the worst teams in the NBA this year and in such an extremely top-heavy draft, the timing could not be better. With potential superstars in Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley III and Michael Porter Jr., the Hawks can get that superstar that many of us have been begging them to at least try for.
Finally, the Hawks will be one of the few teams with major cap space next summer and in a year of such high profile free agents, you never know what Atlanta might be able to pull off. I am not suggesting we get Paul George or LeBron James but signing a young exciting player like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at a position of need could help the Hawks get back to contending extremely soon.
Could you imagine a lineup of (Age in parentheses)
PG Dennis Schroder (24)
SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (24)
SF Taurean Prince (23)
PF Marvin Bagley Jr. III (18)
C John Collins (20)
That lineup is young, has extreme boom potential and would satisfy every Atlanta fan who has to sit through this rebuilding season.
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This season is not going to be one full of wins. But by using the 76ers fanbase as a reference point, it can be one full of fun.