The Atlanta Hawks have made a number of trades this offseason which has truly strengthened their roster. They have not had to give up to much in terms of personnel even though it is going to be very difficult to watch Kevin Huerter in another team’s uniform.
They have strengthened their guard rotation with the addition of Dejounte Murray and Aaron Holiday. Adding Murray is going to have a huge impact on the roster given that he is the second star, another quality ball-handler, playmaker, and one of the best defenders at his position in the entire NBA.
While this cost them a number of future draft picks, only Danilo Gallinari was given up from the current roster to secure the ex-Spurs star. This would have left the Hawks a little short in the front court. However, the Huerter trade netted them frontcourt players Maurice Harkless and Justin Holiday. They then signed Frank Kaminsky as another big man.
So where on the Atlanta Hawks roster is the weak point?
According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, the biggest weakness for the Hawks is a veteran point guard. Yes, they have Trae Young, Murray, and the youngest Holiday as point guards but they are all under 25 years old.
According to Swartz, the Hawks are missing that veteran presence on the bench and in the locker room. He makes several suggestions but the simplest solution for the Hawks is Lou Williams. Swartz mentions this in his article but it is something that we have been saying for a while at Soaring Down South.
Williams has taken young big man Onyeka Okongwu under his wing from the moment he came over from the LA Clippers via trade. It is almost a case of the odd couple. Okongwu is a defensive-minded big while Williams is a walking bucket who plays defense sparingly. The connection between the two is undeniable and is only growing stronger.
This is the impact that a veteran can have on the roster and it is why it is so important to find the right player for the group.