The 2022-23 Atlanta Hawks endured a topsy-turvy season. From a midseason coaching change to trade rumors surrounding Trae Young, the Hawks dealt with their fair share of adversity.
However, Atlanta ended its season on a very solid note. Despite a first-round loss to the Boston Celtics, Young and the Hawks showed a lot of heart in their early exit. Young blocked out toxic trade talks to the tune of 29.2 points per game and 10.2 assists per game, making his mark on the postseason with an electric game-winning three to steal Game 5 in Boston.
Atlanta scored the third-most points per game in the NBA, and their offense showed flashes of brilliance across six playoff games. Even so, the team finished the year with a 41-41 record. The Hawks played subpar defense all season, finishing with a bottom-10 defensive rating in basketball.
Atlanta general manager Landry Fields has some important roster decisions to make this summer. Assuming the Hawks keep their talented backcourt intact, they should look to surround them with complimentary pieces that defend at a high level. To best improve his team’s defense, Fields will need to do his best to hide Ice Trae’s defensive deficiencies.
While Atlanta saw certain players put together impressive individual campaigns, a handful of Hawks lowered their trade value this season. Here are the 3 Hawks players who hurt their trade value the most.
John Collins
Forward John Collins began his career in promising fashion when he made the 2017-18 All-Rookie Second Team. During his first three years in the league, the former No. 19 pick steadily improved his numbers while regularly treating Hawks fans to acrobatic rack attacks and thunderous throwdowns.
However, Collins took a step back this season when he posted his lowest scoring average since his rookie year. After averaging 16.2 points and 7.8 rebounds last season, Collins put up just 13.1 points per game and a career-low 6.5 rebounds per game on his worst shooting splits ever. A career 55.1% shooter from the floor, he made just 50.8% of his field goal attempts. Collins struggled even more from beyond the arc, nailing a putrid 29.2% of his 3-pointers.
Having excelled on the offensive glass in previous seasons, he also grabbed a career-low 1.1 offensive boards. His dwindling aggression has damaged his value as a player, and his hefty contract doesn’t help.
Two summers ago, Collins signed a 5-year/$125-million contract.
Out of 53 players making $100 million or more on their current deals, Collins averaged the second-fewest points per game this season, only ahead of Ben Simmons. The Baptist posted per-game averages of 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds on 43.3% shooting this postseason. Through his first four games against Boston, Collins tallied an underwhelming 7.5 points per game.
Given the expectations Collins set four seasons ago when he averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 boards, the high-flying forward has largely disappointed Hawks fans with his frustrating inconsistency and his fading role in Atlanta’s offense.
Clint Capela
Veteran center Clint Capela did not suffer a major drop-off during the 2022-23 regular season, but his playoff impact has gradually lessened over the last few years.
After a solid 65-game campaign, the Swiss big man averaged just 8.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in the first round. Despite his starting role, he only played 25.2 minutes per contest. As a starter, Capela has only received fewer nightly minutes in one career postseason. That happened last spring when he played just two games against the Miami Heat due to a knee injury.
During Atlanta’s conference finals run in 2021, Capela averaged 31.6 minutes of action and averaged a double-double. Capela hasn’t cracked 30 minutes in any of his eight playoff games since. Despite Capela’s solid per-game averages of 12 points and 11 boards, this regular season saw the 29-year-old center receive his lowest minutes per game since the 2016-17 season (his third year in the league).
The emergence of Onyeka Okongwu and his versatile defense has heavily contributed to Capela’s decrease in playing time.
In the modern NBA, versatile bigs are growing in prevalence, as evidenced by Okongwu’s significant role in the Hawks’ second unit. For instance, Eastern Conference finalists Miami and Boston both rely on multifaceted two-way centers in Bam Adebayo and Al Horford, two defensive anchors that can guard multiple positions at a high level.
Jaren Jackson Jr. won the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award with his knack for blocking shots against opponents at all five positions. Players like Evan Mobley and Nic Claxton also received DPOY consideration for their ability to keep up with smaller players. Unfortunately for Atlanta, Capela does not possess such defensive versatility.
If their opponent’s center can effectively space the floor, the Hawks will often prefer to play Okongwu. Facing sharpshooting center Al Horford in the first round, Capela recorded a measly 0.5 blocks per game and saw his minutes slightly drop off from the regular season.
From an offensive perspective, many modern-day big men can shoot the three. In fact, Okongwu shot 30.8% from deep this season, showing he can occasionally knock down the long ball. Meanwhile, Capela has attempted four threes throughout his entire career – all misses.
Over his last two playoff series, Capela has posted an abysmal -55 plus/minus across eight contests. As the NBA becomes more reliant on 3-point shooting, Capela will find it tougher and tougher to consistently utilize his skillset in a playoff setting.
Although Capela continues to serve as an above-average rim-runner who can crash the glass, his lack of intangibles and versatility will make it difficult for teams to justify valuing him highly in a trade scenario.
Saddiq Bey
In Saddiq Bey’s defense, he only played 31 games with the Hawks. Nonetheless, the long-range specialist flamed out – by his standards – in the playoffs.
Just a season ago, Bey put up 16.1 points per game for the Detroit Pistons. Against the Celtics in round one, the 24-year-old averaged just 7.5 points on 37.5% shooting. On March 17, 2022, Bey scored an incredible 51 points in a regular season meeting with the Magic. In his most recent postseason, he failed to crack double-digit points in four of six games.
It is never an encouraging sign to see a young talent’s numbers take such a hit, especially when the postseason rolls around. However, Bey did provide some promising production to end the regular season – albeit on lower volume than he saw in Detroit.
In 25 regular season games with Atlanta, the sharpshooter nailed 40% of his threes while averaging 11.6 points per game.
Bey could carve a more prominent role in the Hawks’ offense as he becomes more familiar with his new squad, and an entire offseason with the team could be just what the doctor ordered. Even so, the former Villanova product has largely been a far cry from the player who dropped 50 last spring.
Although his stint for the Hawks has been brief, Bey has not made the impact Atlanta fans were hoping for.
Whether the Hawks plan to deal him away or not, his relative dip in production will do no favors for his trade value heading into the offseason.