It was a fun, emotional season for the Atlanta Hawks. They started hot out the gates but quickly found themselves at risk of missing the postseason thanks to many factors. But a little introspection and a coaching change saw them go from being six games below .500 at the end of February to tying for the second-best record in the NBA from March 1 on.
However, the series against the Milwaukee Bucks obviously didn’t go the way they wanted it to. The next step, now that Nate McMillan is locked in, is not only how to get back to the postseason and Eastern Conference Finals, but to advance to the NBA Finals.
Trae Young had a historic playoff debut, becoming the youngest player to have 25 points and 11 assists in a playoff game, among several other notable marks.
The Atlanta Hawks impressive season should only embolden them this offseason to get better
Per GM Travis Schlenk: The @ATLHawks have reached an agreement with head coach Nate McMillan.#BelieveAtlanta
— Bally Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnBally) July 5, 2021
His supporting cast was more hit or miss; be it because of injury, fatigue, or some other factor. No other force had a bigger impact on the Hawks (or any other playoff team) than injuries. De’Andre Hunter was lost at the end of the first round. Young and Bogdan Bogdanovic both suffered injuries with the former missing two games. And Cam Reddish played in just three.
Bogdanovic and top reserve Danilo Gallinari were the most consistent role players, both among the eight Hawks to average double-digits. Bogdanovic proved himself to be quite the all-around player as he dealt with knee soreness that affected his scoring.
John Collins was third on the team with 13.9 points and 8.7 rebounds. And while he struggled on the boards in the series, he did have a double-double in Game 6 versus Milwaukee.
Kevin Huerter entered the starting lineup halfway through the Philly series and had 27 points in Game 7. But he and Collins were less than stellar on defense and can get new money this offseason. Collins is a restricted free agent and Huerter is rookie extension eligible. The risk is obviously higher with Collins since a team can offer him more than the Hawks are willing to pay.
Clint Capela was a great asset in the regular season and early in the postseason. Ultimately, though, his offensive limitations would often have him on the bench in the waning moments.
And we can’t forget Atlanta’s favorite son, Lou Williams. He filled in admirably for Young and played more traditional point guard than he has in some time. With his announcement that he could return for his 19th season, it’s yet another decision for the Hawks to make.
All of that being said, and now that they’ve locked Nate McMillan in as head coach, how can the Hawks take this group and improve upon it?
Atlanta Hawks keys to reaching the 2022 NBA Finals #1: The Hawks have some core players looking for new money but do have ways to keep them together
As with any roster making improvements, it often comes with tough decisions. And with the Hawks needing to add to this roster to compete with a healthier Eastern Conference next season, those decisions will need to be made this offseason. Namely, how to approach Williams now that he’s announced he’s likely to play next season.
Young’s father, Rayford Sr., has come out and said Williams is the best veteran his son has ever played with and Young also holds the three-time Sixth Man of the Year in the highest regard.
But his cap hit was $8 million this past season. Schlenk also spoke on this, saying they are “extremely open” to a return. That sounds like an invitation to drop that asking price if ever there was one. We’ll see how receptive Williams and his reps are.
Schlenk was asked if they had interest in bringing Lou Williams back.
— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) July 5, 2021
He said he told Lou he was great for ATL both on and off the court during this run.
Said they would be "extremely open" about talking to Williams and his reps about a return.
The other big cap hit should be a no-brainer, that’s Tony Snell and his $12 million cap charge. He finished with the first-ever 50/50/100 season. But even though he did it while averaging the fourth-most minutes in his eight-year career, his usage was the lowest it’s ever been. That money can and should be spent elsewhere.
Williams and Snell are coming off books anyway, but that money is likely earmarked for Collins.
From there the decisions get really tough and are less “trimming fat” than simply alternative avenues to open up space. But again, that’s only in the event of a clear upgrade.
There really isn’t much “fat” on this roster. That’s why this offseason is so critical. We’ve seen teams bank on internal development and miss their beat. Don’t expect that from the Hawks as they’ve been aggressive leading up to this point.
But if you have a chance to upgrade in an area of extreme need, you have to pounce. That could mean trying to add in free agency too, but that just means they’d need to find some space.
Atlanta Hawks keys to reaching the 2022 NBA Finals #2: An upgrade at center could push this group over the top
Capela’s career arc in Atlanta is following a similar one as his time in Houston. He was a valuable part of what they did with his interior defense, rebounding (he led the league this season), and rim-running abilities. But his style of play ran its course there too, even if they took it to the extreme with their ultra small-ball approach.
The Hawks inability to score in the paint in the Conference Finals — they were outscored by an average of 16 points — became more pronounced as the series wore on.
They also got comparable production from rookie Onyeka Okongwu in the postseason.
One of the hottest names on the trade market is going to be Indiana Pacers big man, Myles Turner who led the league in blocks per game. He has two years left on a team-friendly deal but many around the league believe Indiana must move him to get the most out of Domantas Sabonis.
This is where the Hawks should swoop in. There is the internal issue of Collins’ contract. Travis Schlenk spoke glowingly about Collins and mentioned wanting to retain his services. But Atlanta could find themselves outbid by a team willing to offer more than they want to invest in a player whose historical offensive prowess might be offset by his lack of defensive resistance.
Maybe an offseason spent trying to bulk up fixes that issue. Or perhaps the Hawks pivot and try offering one of their many wings. Indiana might need a Huerter or Hunter.
There are murmurs from fans about Karl-Anthony Towns and even Zion Williamson. And while they would obviously be tremendous gets, the amount of compensation it would take to get either would likely negate their additions.
This isn’t to say you’re looking to give away pieces from a roster that went to a Conference Finals. And Capela and Collis were durable if nothing else this season.
That leads us to the most important ability, availability.
Atlanta Hawks keys to reaching the 2022 NBA Finals #3: Get healthy after being one of the most injured teams in the league this season
This is the most important. The Hawks had the fourth-most man-games lost to injury in the regular season. That on top of losing Hunter in the first round makes what the Hawks accomplished this year so much more impressive. With all of the inner turmoil, they could have easily mailed in the rest of the season once they began to slip in the standings.
More from Hawks News
- 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?
- Dejounte Murray rips NBA 2K after Atlanta Hawks ratings reveal
- Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic makes special dedication after FIBA win
They’ve earned some time off. But while every team suffered through unprecedented injuries this season, the Hawks weren’t among the bubble teams or subsequent playoff field.
Young’s ‘21 season is the anomaly to this point as he missed more games to injury this season than he had in his previous two combined. Reddish also appeared over his injury and his conditioning should be better after he participates in Summer League.
Hunter’s diagnosis is the concern. It was reported by Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports back in January that he suffered “articular wear and tear” in his knee. He was really coming on before suffering his injury in the regular season, averaging 22 points on 55 percent shooting. That the tear ultimately required surgery and cost him most of this postseason is a concern.
All indications are he will return to form but there could always be some pain.
Bogdanovic is seeking a second opinion on the avulsion fracture in his knee that was reportedly unrelated to the soreness he later suffered.
This could be an issue with the training staff or the players needing to take care of their bodies. Without the extended 2020 season to use as an excuse. It’s certainly something worth monitoring. It needs to be addressed because the expectation should be for improved health league-wide for 2021-22 with a full offseason and better-spaced schedule.
There will always be some freak injuries or ones that no amount of training would have prevented. But that is all the more reason to work on preventing those they can.
If the Hawks manage to bring this entire group back as is, they can compete for a similar finish next season. But if they make these subtle tweaks they can be even better prepared to weather all that comes with trying to fight through the playoffs next year.