ATL Hawks Season Thread

SidewalkJacket

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Haven't visited this part of the board before, but couldn't believe how little Hawks talk there was over here. Hopefully this thread will get some action this season.

I believe the Hawks are on the cusp of something great, and may be where the Braves were last year (low expectations for actual wins but ahead of schedule in reality based on young, dynamic talent).

The Hawks have actually become my #1 sports topic to discuss with close friends. What's the feeling around here?
 

YellowJacketFan2018

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Haven't visited this part of the board before, but couldn't believe how little Hawks talk there was over here. Hopefully this thread will get some action this season.

I believe the Hawks are on the cusp of something great, and may be where the Braves were last year (low expectations for actual wins but ahead of schedule in reality based on young, dynamic talent).

The Hawks have actually become my #1 sports topic to discuss with close friends. What's the feeling around here?
I think the Hawks will show some improvement and go 76-86 this season
 

ChasonBaller

on Pastner Polo watch
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3,531
Haven't visited this part of the board before, but couldn't believe how little Hawks talk there was over here. Hopefully this thread will get some action this season.

I believe the Hawks are on the cusp of something great, and may be where the Braves were last year (low expectations for actual wins but ahead of schedule in reality based on young, dynamic talent).

The Hawks have actually become my #1 sports topic to discuss with close friends. What's the feeling around here?
lol me too. Never thought the day would come of the hawks being relevant in conversation. Trae Young and/or John Collins will be all-stars this year and De'Andre Hunter is ready to ball. Huerter will continue to be solid, and I think it might take a few months but Cam will show he is more than the spot up shooter Coach K made him :whistle: I am thinking 7 seed but I will be fine with missing out one more year and picking up a big and back up point in the PG heavy draft. (Vernon Carey Jr and Cassius Winston will do :cool:)
 

whitegoldsphinx

Ramblin' Wreck
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775
They play poor defense and try to outscore the opposition. Not a recipe for success. OTOH, it is entertaining to watch the young core of Trey, Collins and Huerter do their thing on the offensive end. Maybe Hunter can inspire the team to play some defense. Not sure what Reddish brings to the table. His year at Duke was considered a disappointment. Not sure what to make of the off season moves to change up the depth. We will see. Vince Carter's last hurrah is another reason to tune in. He had some fun moments last year.
 

SidewalkJacket

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They play poor defense and try to outscore the opposition. Not a recipe for success. OTOH, it is entertaining to watch the young core of Trey, Collins and Huerter do their thing on the offensive end. Maybe Hunter can inspire the team to play some defense. Not sure what Reddish brings to the table. His year at Duke was considered a disappointment. Not sure what to make of the off season moves to change up the depth. We will see. Vince Carter's last hurrah is another reason to tune in. He had some fun moments last year.

I think a dynamic offensive team is exactly the recipe for success in today's NBA. Defense in the league now is simply about versatility and switchability, and I think the Hawks are building that with the picks of Hunter (NBA-ready defense) and Reddish (very underrated defender).

Offseason bench shakeup was odd at first, but in hindsight inevitable. Kept long-term financial flexibility with players that have no real future with ATL and will likely be replaced by more drafted players over the next couple of years.
 

SidewalkJacket

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lol me too. Never thought the day would come of the hawks being relevant in conversation. Trae Young and/or John Collins will be all-stars this year and De'Andre Hunter is ready to ball. Huerter will continue to be solid, and I think it might take a few months but Cam will show he is more than the spot up shooter Coach K made him :whistle: I am thinking 7 seed but I will be fine with missing out one more year and picking up a big and back up point in the PG heavy draft. (Vernon Carey Jr and Cassius Winston will do :cool:)

Agreed. It's a win-win. This season there is no pressure to tank, and no pressure to make the playoffs. This young core should be able to just go out there and try to compete every night. There will be motivation from rookies to earn their time, and motivation from FA pickups to prove their worth.

IF Hunter can defend opponents' primary wing, and IF Red Velvet takes the next step offensively, and IF Len picks up where he left off... the playoffs are a reality.
 

kg01

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Hawks will contend for playoffs, may squeak in once pretenders start tanking late.

The defense thing isn't by design. Meaning they don't just try to outscore guys. CLP actually said he hasn't started installing his defense yet due to lack of personnel to run it. Adding Hunter and Reddish likely (hopefully) allow him to start that process.

Reddish will be a steal if you believe the injury stuff from his year at Duque. Seems he was injured, not just hurt. But, of course, Kryasafldk;ajski allowed him to play that way anyway since he knew it wouldn't be his problem after a few months. The Paul George comp is real, imho.

I hope Hunter can be a cross between a rich man's Battier and a middle-class man's Kawhi. Ultimate culture-setter, contributor to winning - play defense, do the little things, hit open shots and maybe do more than that. That's a win in my book.

And, even if they fall flat, you get to see Trae make grown men swat at invisible butterflies every night ...



Oh JJ ...

200.webp
 

ChasonBaller

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Agreed. It's a win-win. This season there is no pressure to tank, and no pressure to make the playoffs. This young core should be able to just go out there and try to compete every night. There will be motivation from rookies to earn their time, and motivation from FA pickups to prove their worth.

IF Hunter can defend opponents' primary wing, and IF Red Velvet takes the next step offensively, and IF Len picks up where he left off... the playoffs are a reality.
Shame on me for not calling him Red Velvet :( I didn't know if everyone would know who i'm talking about lol. I guess it is official now since the bleacher report video haha
 

ChasonBaller

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And we have the Nets pick, though Top 14 protected, it should convert. The nets should be solid enough to get into the playoffs but probably not much after that. Hopefully we get the 19th pick again. Seems we have great success there.
 

SidewalkJacket

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Hunter made even more plays last night that show why we traded up for him. He's already putting the ball on the floor and getting downhill more than he had to do at UVA. He doesn't look nervous AT ALL.

Trae definitely struggled with 9 TOs, but also continued to make highlight reel plays. (Defense also better). He'll be fine once Red Velvet is back in the lineup and we aren't trying to get everyone minutes, he'll be more efficient. (Doesn't help with your starting frontcourt shoots like 0-100).
 

slugboy

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I think they’re still a year away. I’m thinking about 35 wins, but fun to watch.
There have been a couple of draft misses, like Spellman, who we didn’t get much for in trade. I think we need a good pick in next year’s draft, and maybe a free agent.


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kg01

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Frontcourt is the only place Schlenk has failed us ... well, I'll say he still has work to do. Perhaps the guys he wanted would've cost too much.

Still, at this point, it's an obvious and glaring need. The bum we got from GState for Spellman is ..well, a bum. Not that I wanted to keep Cal-o'mari. I truly think he'll be out of the league soon due to weight issues. I just wish we would've gotten a better big by now.

Someone like Baynes, formerly of BOS, would help us.
 

ChasonBaller

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Frontcourt is the only place Schlenk has failed us ... well, I'll say he still has work to do. Perhaps the guys he wanted would've cost too much.

Still, at this point, it's an obvious and glaring need. The bum we got from GState for Spellman is ..well, a bum. Not that I wanted to keep Cal-o'mari. I truly think he'll be out of the league soon due to weight issues. I just wish we would've gotten a better big by now.

Someone like Baynes, formerly of BOS, would help us.
Took Spellman over Mitchell Robinson (who I was waiting to hear with the 30th pick)...he doesn't really fit what we do but is a baller on defense and we can always develop the jumper
 

GT_EE78

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watched a preseason game this year , first time in ages. Hunter and Young played well.If on TV I'll wacth some this year
I'm more of a Lakers fan
 

cyclejacket

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I'm thinking this team will improve to the point they advance to the NBA finals in 2021. They will then give up a 3-0 series lead in a historic collapse. Of course, I haven't really analyzed the team closely enough to make an informed guess based on talent advancement. But I figure with the Falcons having a historic collapse in the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, and the Braves losing the NLDS in historic fashion this year, that Atlanta fans are due for the same type of disappointment in basketball sometime soon.
 

YellowJacketFan2018

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I'm thinking this team will improve to the point they advance to the NBA finals in 2021. They will then give up a 3-0 series lead in a historic collapse. Of course, I haven't really analyzed the team closely enough to make an informed guess based on talent advancement. But I figure with the Falcons having a historic collapse in the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, and the Braves losing the NLDS in historic fashion this year, that Atlanta fans are due for the same type of disappointment in basketball sometime soon.
The Hawks will have a much improved season if they go 76-86
 

Silk3

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868
Hawks will be fun to watch and be very good in the future. Still a year away I think and rlly bad on defense. Hopefully we get lucky in the lottery and can add a top 5 pick and get a big man.
 
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