Not many teams had the Hawks' number last season. Especially in the back-half of the year, when they made an unexpected push for the playoffs.
They swept the Magic and 76ers - two teams on a similar playing field. What goes around, comes around. The Detroit Pistons nearly brought out the brooms for them. To be fair, Detroit was nothing short of dominant last regular season. Their luck slowed down in the postseason, but nonetheless, Atlanta had no answer until their final meeting.
There was a clear mismatch among the talented squads. The Pistons were able to force the issue down low - led by All-Star big man Jalen Duren. As solid as Atlanta's center unit was last year, Duren was clearly the best of the bunch anytime they faced off.
Duren - if still on the roster - could look very different next season
Uncertainty, uncertainty.
Everyone responds to pressure in a different way, so there's no way to tell what Duren will look like in the 2026-27 season, but this situation has developed into one of the summer's messiest.
Him still being available in restricted free agency should give everyone a clear look at where the two sides stand. Duren and his camp want much more than the Pistons are willing to offer.
Now, if his production in the regular season carried on in a remotely similar way during the most important time of the year, a new contract - at a max level - would be a lock. He was that elite.
If he maintained a similar level of production in the postseason that he applied to his matchups with the Hawks, though, he could be taking over as their franchise player. Sorry, Cade Cunningham.
In four games (three wins) against Atlanta last season, Duren averaged an incredible 21.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, a steal and a block per game on over 65% from the field. It's clear he was their biggest difference-maker.
Fast forward to this upcoming season, Duren's still not re-signed
If, for whatever reason, Duren isn't on the Pistons' roster to begin the season, which is still entirely possible, the Atlanta Hawks could make a serious case to leap them in the standings.
It isn't just the Hawks, either. Many Eastern Conference groups made undeniable improvements, and while Detroit did, as well, losing Duren would eliminate much of their work.
His presence down low was that valuable, particularly against the high-flying Hawks.
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