The Atlanta Hawks haven’t been the most active team in terms of making moves this offseason, but the ones they have made have been impactful, to say the least. From re-signing CJ McCollum on a one-year deal to acquiring Lu Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta has approached this year’s offseason with a plan in mind. For the most part, it seems to be working.
On the face of it, the Atlanta Hawks look like an intriguing team. Although their playoff run ended in a first-round exit this year, the Hawks were the only team in the East to take multiple games off the Knicks. With the duo of CJ McCollum and Jalen Johnson wreaking havoc offensively, Atlanta may have already found something to build around.
Given the players available at Atlanta’s disposal, the Hawks were already considered a competitive team. Now, after acquiring Lu Dort, there is some room to argue that Atlanta may be a real threat in the East.
Having made an impressive addition to their core, the Hawks certainly boast more depth. Given how this could affect their current rotation, here is a brief look at what their depth chart could look like.
Hawks’ Potential Starting Lineup
Point Guard – CJ McCollum
Shooting Guard – Dyson Daniels
Small Forward – Lu Dort
Power Forward – Jalen Johnson
Center – Onyeka Okongwu
Point Guard – CJ McCollum
On paper, the Atlanta Hawks are a young team brimming with potential. Purely in that context, a player like CJ McCollum may not seem like an ideal fit. However, considering how dominant he was offensively during the final stretch of the season and the first round of the playoffs, it is safe to assume that a bit of veteran leadership goes a long way.
After signing him to a one-year, $21 million deal, McCollum will likely be the Hawks’ starting point guard next season. Although he doesn’t provide much by way of playmaking, his averages of 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game from last season may be worth banking on in the upcoming campaign.
Shooting Guard: Dyson Daniels
Last season, Dyson Daniels was the Hawks’ primary option in the small forward position. However, with the acquisition of Lu Dort, Atlanta may see some value in letting Daniels return to his natural position as a backcourt player.
Unlike McCollum, Daniels does not offer much by way of scoring. However, his ability to contribute cannot be overlooked. Despite his poor perimeter shooting ability, Daniels brings phenomenal rebounding, passing, and defensive versatility to the team.
With averages of 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.0 steals per game on 51.7% shooting from the floor, he is a solid asset. Given how vulnerable McCollum can be defensively, having a player like Dyson Daniels shore up the defense could be a positive move.
Small Forward: Lu Dort
The Hawks’ newest acquisition could also be their most impactful in the upcoming season. With Dort effectively replacing Zaccharie Risacher in the lineup, it is safe to say that the Hawks have gained a massive upgrade in the small forward position.
Lu Dort has positioned himself as one of the best 3-and-D players in the league, though he is more prominently known for his physical on-ball defense. He averaged 8.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 38.5% from the field and 34.4% from three-point range.
Dort’s addition gives Atlanta a toughness the team did not have last year. Given that he also brings championship experience to the table, the Hawks can only view this deal favorably.
Power Forward: Jalen Johnson
Jalen Johnson is the undisputed face of the Atlanta Hawks franchise at this point. Following the Trae Young trade, along with Jonathan Kuminga’s potential departure this summer, the Hawks have clearly established their interest in building around Johnson. To that note, they have added notable pieces to suit him.
Johnson’s greatest asset is his versatility as an offensive player. While boasting a polished bag of offensive moves, the Hawks’ forward builds on it with his ability to pass the ball and space the floor. Given that he averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 35.2% from three-point range last season, he has displayed immense potential.
Johnson earned his first All-Star appearance last season, cementing his status as a superstar in Atlanta. As the team’s most valuable player, he is bound to have a major role in their success.
Center: Onyeka Okongwu
To wrap it all up, the Hawks are likely to continue with Onyeka Okongwu in the starting lineup to fill out the center spot.
Although he isn’t the imposing figure, Okongwu makes up for it with his floor-spacing ability and athleticism. For the most part, he thrived as a lob threat when paired with Young. However, in the new Hawks’ system, Okongwu has comfortably been able to find himself in better positions to score in different spots.
Last season, the big man averaged 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 57.3% from the field and 35.6% from three-point range. Given his efficiency as a stretch-5, Atlanta could experiment with different offensive sets to establish him as a larger offensive threat next season.
Bench
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Corey Kispert, Jock Landale, Buddy Hield, Aaron Wiggins, Devin Carter, Kingston Flemings, Asa Newell, Mouhamed Gueye, Ryan Nembhard
The Hawks’ bench may not be the deepest in the league, but the first changes off the bench are certainly serviceable rotation players.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker serves as an extremely reliable sixth man off the bench in the current Hawks’ lineup. Given how capable he is of asserting himself as a starter, too, Atlanta may see great value in him as a key cog in the second unit. He averaged 20.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 45.9% from the field and 39.9% from three-point range.
Much like Alexander-Walker, both Corey Kispert and Buddy Hield contribute as reliable perimeter threats in the rotation. Though Hield had a rough outing last season, as he posted 7.6 points and 2.3 rebounds on 34.9% shooting from beyond the arc, Kispert remained reliable, notching 9.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game on 46.7% shooting from the field and 36.7% from three-point range.
To shore up the backcourt depth further, the Hawks also acquired Ryan Nembhard (6.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 5.3 APG), Aaron Wiggins (9.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 35.6% 3PT), and Devin Carter (8.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.7 APG), while drafting Kingston Flemings this year. Overall, the Hawks’ backcourt depth is particularly impressive.
In the frontcourt, the Hawks have Asa Newell, Jock Landale, and Mouhamed Gueye. Newell didn’t receive much playing time last season and is likely to remain a fringe player this year. However, Gueye and Landale could have a significant role to play in the lineup next season.
Both Landale and Gueye serve as solid backups for Okongwu, though Landale is more likely to have a larger role because of his experience. Regardless, the depth in Atlanta’s roster is solid.
Conclusion: Playoff Threat
Last season, the Atlanta Hawks were poised to be one of the best teams in the East in light of the signings they made. Unfortunately, things fell apart equally quickly once both their star players suffered injuries.
Surprisingly, the fact that the collapse happened early in the season may have been a boon for the Hawks. With more than enough time to pivot, the Hawks turned their season around in a matter of months, ending the campaign with a 46-36 record. Having added new players to the mix at the trade deadline, Atlanta became a tough team to beat, too.
Given that they retained most of the pieces from last year’s playoff squad, the Hawks were always expected to be a dangerous team. However, in light of the recent additions, it is safe to say that the Hawks are primed to be a threat.
Although some questions may be raised about their scoring depth, Atlanta certainly boasts flexibility and depth. Given how vital this could be when facing a team like the Knicks, the Hawks seem to be gearing up for another playoff push this year.