The Atlanta Hawks need to show improved chemistry versus MIA

As the dust settles around the Atlanta Hawks (17-23) trade of Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks we have tried to look at the fallout from every angle. We’ve even looked at the hidden benefits of adding Kevin Knox who is mostly viewed as a throw-in to make the salaries work. The real get is the (heavily protected) first-round pick.

We found out via The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner that Reddish had requested a trade months ago (subscription required) feeling he couldn’t develop properly with the Hawks.

He was seeing the fewest minutes of his career and was seventh among the rotation players.

Now that Reddish is gone, will the Atlanta Hawks show better chemistry on the floor?

The Hawks should, in theory, see better fluidity following the move. This isn’t to place all of the Hawks myriad issues on Reddish. His free-lancing on both ends was a major issue but not the only one. That just can’t be the case when there is such a disparity between their offense and defense while the third-year wing was playing less.

Both John Collins and Trae Young have called out the Hawks defensive efforts.

At one point in the first quarter on Wednesday, Bogdanovic stole an errant Tyler Herro pass that should have led to an easy run-out basket for Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot who proceeded to blow the lay. The score was 16-6 then but Miami outscored Atlanta 15-11 in the frame from that point on.

By halftime, the Hawks trailed 56-51.

Peachtree Hoops contributor Glen Willis pointed out a defensive possession in the second half against the Heat in which Bogdan Bogdanovic was late on a rotation resulting in an open three.

Reddish wasn’t on the floor for either sequence.

Bogdanovic is one of the players who need to prove the Hawks made the right choice moving Reddish. He’s been more consistent and, most importantly, has bought into what the coaches are preaching. But he hasn’t exactly been all of that this season, tying his career-low shooting 41.8 percent from the floor.

He’s also set a new low with a 52.2 percent effective field goal percentage.

Over the last three outings, however, he has averaged 16.3 points on 45.2 percent shooting and 35.7 percent from range.

Kevin Huerter, who signed a $65 million extension in the offseason, is another who needs to show the same level of play that he showed in the postseason. He had averaged 17.5 points on 50.0 percent shooting over the four games before facing Miami and scoring just seven points.

What hasn’t happened, at least not yet, is his three-point shooting coming around at just 32.0 percent over that span.

De’Andre Hunter, who made his return on Wednesday after two months away following wrist surgery, would also have to fall into this category. He’s extension-eligible this offseason but his three surgeries in less than two years with two of them on his meniscus aren’t exactly confidence-builders.

His 15 points while going 3-of-4 from deep were though.

With reports that all but Young and Clint Capela (who cannot be traded until the offseason) are available in the right deal, and the trade deadline less than a month away, the remaining Hawks will need to keep proving their worth starting with a better effort against the Heat.

Nothing is going to be an overnight fix, the trade of Reddish included. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have sent a very clear message.