Atlanta Hawks showing rebuilds don’t have to take forever
Everyone keeps talking about this being the Atlanta Hawks first Conference Finals appearance since 2015. In doing so we ignore the more intriguing underlying story of how quick their turnaround actually was. The reason Hawks fans get to see Trae Young in their favorite jersey is that this team tied for the third-worst record in the NBA in 2018.
Their fall was just as drastic as they went from winning 60 games the year they reached the Eastern Conference Finals under Mike Budenholzer to winning just 24 games in Bud’s final campaign in Atlanta.
As some teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings (who haven’t been to the postseason in 14 years) were all the buzz a year or so ago, the Hawks just kept building.
The Atlanta Hawks turnaround could be the blueprint for other teams struggling to find their way
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They added to their young core with the now-injured De’Andre Hunter and the now-healthy Cam Reddish, who played well in his first action in four months. Both are two-way players that could be staples on an upper-tier perimeter defense in the very near future. Rookie big man Onyeka Okongwu’s minutes have been sporadic but solid. And we can’t forget the long-range prowess of Kevin Huerter.
Atlanta also added savvy vets that had plenty of postseason experience. Starter Clint Capela along with reserves Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams have combined to play in 157 playoff games.
He hasn’t been for a while this postseason but, when healthy, Bogdan Bogdanovic is another weapon. Even injured he’s shown some passing and has gotten his hands on a few steals.
These parts have all amounted to be greater than their sum and it took Nate McMillan to turn them around after the team started six games below .500 this season. He hadn’t been out of the first round since 2005 and now should be locked in as the next head coach.
That’s what has made this run so special. Judging from all the information, the Hawks are probably a year ahead of schedule. This while other teams have seemed stuck in the mud. Even teams with storied histories in major markets like the Chicago Bulls have been stuck in a rebuilding loop since the end of the Derrick Rose era.
Who knows when this season will end for the Hawks, but it’s already been incredibly successful. They’ve not only grown as an organization and team, but they’ve shown to some of the other bottom-feeders, it doesn’t have to take years of tanking to become competitive.
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With a few more tweaks they can ensure that they will be one of the top teams in the East for years to come. That, in and of itself, is worth celebrating.