Although the Atlanta Hawks’ six-game loss to the Boston Celtics certainly showed some signs of hope for the franchise going forward, it also made obvious several foundational flaws in Atlanta’s roster construction, flaws that can and must be addressed in the upcoming offseason.
With that being said, here is an optimal yet still somewhat realistic potential starting lineup for the 2023-24 Atlanta Hawks that would shore up several of the gaps that were exposed against the Celtics.
Point Guard: Trae Young
The Hawks’ best player since Dominique Wilkins, Trae Young saw his name floated around in a series of unfounded, unsourced trade rumors this season. It’s true that Young posted some pretty suboptimal efficiency numbers this year and largely struggled to establish synergy with new running mate Dejounte Murray.
All that being said, this is still Trae Young, a player who has proven himself capable of authoring some of the most efficient offenses, statistically speaking, in NBA history, and who demonstrated once again in this year’s playoffs that he does not run away from but rather embraces the do-or-die moments.
Young’s game has well-documented flaws, primarily on the defensive end, but there was a noticeable uptick in his defensive effort and tactical approach after Quin Snyder took over the reins for Nate McMillan.
If the Atlanta Hawks put a roster around him that is tailored to his strengths and gives him the maximum amount of room to operate, there is no reason to believe that Young can’t still be the best player on a contender.
Shooting Guard: Dejounte Murray
Following his blockbuster trade from the San Antonio Spurs last offseason, Dejounte Murray’s first season in a Hawks uniform was not exactly what Hawks fans had envisioned when news broke last summer that Trae Young was finally getting an All-Star teammate.
Young and Murray failed to complement each other’s strengths and cover for each other’s weaknesses, and although Murray had stretches, primarily a torrent streak of games in January, that showed why Atlanta was willing to part with multiple first-round picks to get him, he still didn’t quite reach the certified co-star level that the Hawks were banking on.
What’s important to remember here is that the majority of last season must be viewed through the lens of McMillan, a coach who has proven at every stop of his career that his offensive philosophy is more reminiscent of a team from 1992 than one in 2023. If Quin Snyder can encourage Atlanta to emphasize three-point shooting more so than contested mid-range jumpers, Murray will have a lot more room to get to his spots and showcase his star-level arsenal, which does and should still include the mid-range.
Defensively, Murray was a mixed bag this year and largely failed to stay in front of Boston’s guards and wings. But this problem can at least partially be remedied by surrounding he and Young with better defensive teammates, as seen below.
Small forward: OG Anunoby
This is where things get interesting. The Toronto Raptors small forward’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors for years now, and for good reason: he’s one of the premier on-ball defenders in the world and also shoots a very respectable 38% from three, along with having the ability to create his own shot on occasion.
Essentially, OG Anunoby is in reality what De’Andre Hunter is in the Land of Hypotheticals. Hunter has games where he looks like an all-star. He is also capable of putting together three-game stretches where you don’t even notice he’s on the court. The “he’s still developing” excuse is no longer valid as Hunter will be 26 years old next season, which will be his fifth in the NBA. At this point, he’s simply not worth the headache his inconsistency incites.
Atlanta should be willing to throw a whole lot on the table to get a player like Anunoby, including AJ Griffin (whose father happens to be on the Raptor’s staff), Hunter, Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu, and perhaps even Jalen Johnson or John Collins.
Anunoby would solve so many problems for this heavily flawed roster with his defensive versatility and ability to stretch the floor. For a Hawks team that isn’t brimming with other options, he is worth the assets it would take to get him.
Power forward: Grant Williams
An interesting name on the free agent market this offseason is Boston’s Grant Williams, who has largely fallen out of the Celtics’ playoff rotation after becoming an unlikely hero for them in last year’s playoffs.
But make no mistake, Williams would make a ton of sense for Atlanta.
To start, he’s another elite defender who can guard 1-5 and has shown an ability to at least deter some of the game’s greatest bigs, including Giannis Antentokounpo last year. He’s a world-class three-point shooter at 40 percent and is essentially the anti-John Collins: unathletic and perhaps slightly undersized, but a smart defender and certified floor spacer.
For a team looking to give Young and Murray maximum room to operate, Williams fits in so much better with this roster than Collins.
Center: Brook Lopez
Admittedly, this might be somewhat of a stretch. Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez will be an unrestricted free agent and will likely command a pretty significant raise after posting one of the best years of his extremely unique career.
What used to be a traditional post-up center is now a three-point marksman and defensive player of the year candidate who, even at his advanced age, still alters shots with the best of them and is a devastating option on the offensive pick and roll.
Assuming Atlanta moves on from either Okongwu or Clint Capela this offseason, Lopez would be a great fit for a team lacking in floor-spacing and interior defense if the Hawks can find a way to muster together the money he will be looking for.