Atlanta returned to preseason action last night at home against the Miami Heat, where they picked up their second win, 119-118. This game gave the Hawks a good look at the opponent they will be facing several times this upcoming season. Tyler Herro was out with an injury that will keep him sidelined for the early part of the season, but Miami still ran out most of their regular rotation last night.
The Hawks, however, did not do the same. After playing their top eight players for the first two preseason matchups, they decided to rest everyone in their home opener. Some fans were disappointed with this decision, but others were excited to see the younger guys get some extended run.
It is no surprise that fans want to see the new team hit the floor. This offseason has been an incredible one, thanks to General Manager Onsi Saleh. He wasted no time in his first summer as the organization's lead decision maker.
Not long after the Hawks were eliminated from the Play-In Tournament last season, Atlanta made a blockbuster trade, bringing in NBA All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis. They followed up by making headlines as soon as free agency began, signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard.
Despite all of these moves to propel the team into contention, Atlanta still had one glaring weakness in their lineup: depth at the wing. Vit Krejci and Caleb Houstan have proven to be quality outside shooters, but a real contender should never have to worry about losing a step once one of their starting forwards heads to the bench.
This could be a real issue for the Hawks this season, as Zaccharie Risacher is in his second NBA season and Jalen Johnson, despite all of his strengths, is one of the more injury-prone forwards in the league.
The Hawks have several options they could choose from
Fans have wanted the team to look either in free agency or the trade market for a veteran forward to boost the second unit. The better and more realistic option, however, could already (sort of) be on the team.
The organization seems to believe in the potential of third-year forward Jacob Toppin. This was on full display in last night's preseason win over the Miami Heat. In 42 minutes, Toppin put up a game-high 26 points, along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. He also made a huge impact on the defensive end, racking up two blocks and a steal.
Jacob Toppin, the younger brother of Pacers forward Obi Toppin, is on a two-way deal with the Atlanta Hawks. There are several guys competing for a spot right now, as the Hawks have two standard contracts left to give out.
If Atlanta were to convert Toppin's contract from a two-way to a standard deal, he would be someone who could fit seamlessly into the lineup if needed. The Hawks do not need someone who will command nightly minutes, but someone who could be a reliable option if Jalen Johnson were to go down with an injury at any point in the season.
Optionality has been a key word for GM Saleh and the Hawks this offseason, and keeping an eye on Jacob Toppin could pay dividends for a team looking to contend in the Eastern Conference this season.