Hawks news: Happy birthday Trae, former Magic prospect switches sides & more

Training camp is less than two weeks away and the Atlanta Hawks are eager to disprove the common narrative that they will experience a step back in 2024-25. 

The Hawks will have to prove their simplified roster will lead to greater success or the rumor mill will begin to churn full bore once again. Here are some of the latest headlines surrounding one of the league’s more intriguing outfits.

First up, is a birthday celebration the the College Park Skyhawks and the Hawks’ outlook.

Hawks send birthday wishes to Trae Young

The Hawks are celebrating Trae Young's 26th birthday, sending a post out on social media in honor of the three-time All-Star. It can be easy to forget how young (no pun intended) the Hawks PG is entering his eighth NBA season.

In addition to his All-Star appearances, Young was an All-NBA selection in 2020-21, led the NBA in total assists and total points in 2021-22, and then led in assists again in 2022-23.

Here are some of his “fastest to” stat rankings to add some historical context.

All of that and Young is just entering the prime of his career. His youth is why the Hawks moving on from him at this point would be premature, and that is before even considering his perceived trade value around the league is down.

Granted, Young will never be confused for a prolific rebounder or even a good defender. 

But his pace in many offensive metrics, particularly assists, is impressive for a player still looking to ascend in the pantheon of NBA players.

Hawks add former Magic prospect to training camp deal

The Hawks’ are added to the back end of their roster ahead of camp. Teams are allowed to roster 21 players (and three two-way players) during the offseason and preseason. 

“The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Kevon Harris, league sources told @hoopshype,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported on X on September 18. “Harris spent the past two seasons with the Orlando Magic and appeared in 36 combined games.”

Harris entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

He only appeared in two games in 2023-24. But the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 4.1 points and 2.1 boards and shot 37.2% on 1.3 triples per game in 2022-23.

Harris has also been a solid contributor in the G League and could find his way to the College Park Skyhawks. The Hawks have stocked their G League affiliate with intriguing prospects in recent years and Harris could (and probably should) join the list.

Insider skips over ‘Tier 4’ Hawks for encouraging reason

There are not many positive takes about the Hawks’ outlook this coming season going around, so when one pops up, it is notable. ESPN’s Zach Lowe delivered one, in a round-about sort of way.

“Tier 4, I'm calling this the ‘Play-In by Default’ Tier,” Lowe said on “The Lowe Post” podcast on September 18. “I'm putting the Hawks and the Raptors in a tier by themselves, and I think the Hawks are a little better than the Raptors. We're not going to talk about the Hawks today. I think the Hawks are solid”

While another Play-In Tournament appearance in less than tantalizing, it is encouraging to hear an outside opinion the put them in a positive light.

Now it is up to the Hawks to deliver on that promise.

ICYMI: Skyhawks shake up front office

The Hawks’ use of CPS as a player pipeline has not been limited to players. They have also stocked head coach Quin Snyder’s staff, causing a ripple effect. But it follows the overall organizational trend.

“Atlanta Hawks named Aaron Evans as College Park Skyhawks GM and Steve Klei as head coach. Klei will also remain an assistant coach for the Hawks under Quin Snyder,” Scotto reported on X on September 17. “Daniel Starkman is now Atlanta’s VP of player personnel. Ryan Schmidt is now a full-time assistant coach for Atlanta”

Schmidt joined the Skyhawks and served as their head coach for the 2023-24 season, splitting his duties between them and the Hawks as Klei will for the 2024-25 season.