It's been quite a while since a Hawk has dropped 50.
In fact, the Hawks currently hold the 4th longest drought amongst all NBA teams, ranking the last time a player scored 50 points for their organization - for Atlanta, it was January 5th, 2022, where Trae Young erupted for 56 against the Trail Blazers.
Despite the negative first look, not having a player score such a large sum of individual points is actually a great thing - and it shouldn't change any time soon for the team-first Hawks this year.
Hawks trailblaze the league-wide trend of anti-heliocentrism
Atlanta has certainly remained ahead of the curve insofar as their aversion to star-first basketball - at least, during the Onsi Saleh era.
The vastly controversial decision to move on from Trae Young this January for pennies on the dollar sparked an inferno of criticism, but in the end, it was the Hawks who walked away without a burn.
Time will tell if the move to acquire Young (and Anthony Davis at nearly the same time) will work out for the bold, young Wizards front office, but the proof is already in the pudding for the Hawks, most evident in three facets.
The Hawks' three proven boons from non-star-centered philosophy: cap space, development, and a lethal lineup
First and foremost, the Hawks have generated ample cap room by dealing away Trae Young.
While the Wizards are stuck with two hefty contracts of Trae Young and Anthony Davis, the Hawks are in the complete opposite boat – in fact, their largest contract lies in Jalen Johnson, making a meager $30M/year, far less than the value he brings to Atlanta.
Secondly, the Hawks' star-bereft system allows for more development from their youngsters. While Risacher never got to see the light of day, Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and Asa Newell will have every opportunity to play within a roster that prioritizes ball movement over individual heroics.
Finally, the Hawks have already proven their ability to win without Young - their "death lineup" from this Spring is insurmountable evidence that Atlanta is more than capable of not only winning, but dominating their competition under the new Snyder system.
Don't expect Atlanta to put up any 50-pieces next season, as we became so accustomed to seeing during the Trae Young era. We'll have to settle for team chemistry, swinging the rock, and winning games the right way instead.
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