The Atlanta Hawks changed their culture overnight during the offseason of 2020. They went from having a young group with only a few veterans to being a young group with a larger number of veterans who know how to win.
None of them have any championship experience but players like Clint Capela, Danilo Gallinari, and Solomon Hill have all played on successful NBA teams and know how to put together a winning season in the league which is tough to navigate.
Having to navigate the full 82 game season is tough, particularly when you are the hunted. Last season the Hawks were up and coming, however, this season, given that they finished just two games short of the NBA Finals, they are not taking anyone by surprise.
The Atlanta Hawks are going to benefit from Solomon Hill’s leadership
Hill is currently the only player on the roster who has made it to the NBA Finals which, by definition is the best players playing against each other. There is a level of intensity in these games that cannot be prepared for unless you have experienced it.
The Hawks are lucky to have Hill’s knowledge and experience that he is willing to pass on to the rest of the roster. He is not the most talented player so he has had to work on ways to make himself valuable to a winning team. It is these tricks that he can pass on to the younger guys.
He showed his value to the team last season by doing everything that the team needed. While his lack of offense eventually cost him his spot in the starting lineup at the end of last season. Now, with the depth that the Hawks have managed to accumulate, Hill might not get much playing time.
That is not a problem, the younger players feel comfortable coming to him and he is happy to impart wisdom. This is going to be Hill’s most crucial contribution to the team going forward.