New Atlanta Hawks GM Onsi Saleh made himself an early contender for Executive of the Year with an A+ offseason. The Hawks, who have been stuck in the Play-In for four consecutive years, have finally broken through their glass ceiling and are expected to be playoff threats.
ESPN has clearly noticed this offseason and has shown faith in the Hawks as a result. In the recent three-year future power rankings, the team jumped eleven spots to 12th. The Hawks ranked seventh in draft outlook, ninth in financial situation, 11th in both management and market, and 14th in player quality.
The team's highly ranked future is yet another sign that the Hawks are in good hands. While the team had an exciting young core last season, there was no clear path to becoming a competitive playoff squad. The team had several holes to fill with limited assets to use.
Saleh and the front office managed to revamp the lineup while gaining draft capital. With the new-look roster and exciting future assets, Atlanta is in good shape to compete during Trae Young's prime.
What led to Atlanta's rise up the rankings
The highly ranked draft outlook is, of course, not due to Atlanta's own picks. The Hawks hold just one of their first-round picks over these three years after the trade to acquire Dejounte Murray. Saleh turned nothing into something on draft night, earning an unprotected New Orleans pick to fall back ten spots in the draft.
The Hawks hit a home run with this trade, as sources indicated they likely would've still taken Asa Newell at 13. To get your guy while earning what some have called the best pick to be traded in NBA history is a phenomenal win, propelling Atlanta to the 11th-ranked position. The management ranking should continue to climb as Saleh builds his resume with deals like this.
The 14th ranking for player quality is suspiciously low, which prompts the question: What do the voters not see? Atlanta arguably has a top-five 8-man playoff rotation, flaunting seven starting-quality players. Not only are the players talented, but they fit together seamlessly.
Regardless of my personal disagreement on the quality of the players, the ESPN crew recognized that the Hawks have the financial flexibility to reload the roster. With the ninth-best financial situation and seventh-best draft outlook, the team isn't finalized just yet. When weaknesses inevitably appear, the team will have options to patch the holes.
The Hawks' outlook, both short and long-term, soared beyond what even the biggest fans believed was possible this offseason. It's a new era in Atlanta with Saleh at the helm.