The Atlanta Hawks are entering the 2022-23 season with some heightened expectations. After standing pat for most of the 2021 offseason and seeing their team regress last season, the Hawks made sure they wouldn't make the same mistake this offseason. They swung some big moves this time around, and cemented themselves as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Now that training camp is upon us, we will get our first glimpse at what the Hawks will look like this season. It's safe to say there was quite a lot of turnover in Atlanta this offseason, and their deep rotation became a little bit more top heavy this offseason. The hope is that it will lead to more wins after the Hawks barely snuck their way into the playoffs last season.
On paper, it looks like the Hawks have improved. But there are still some big questions surrounding this team as they prepare for the upcoming season. Let's take a look at two of those questions and examine their importance to Atlanta for the 2022-23 season.
2. Will the Hawks hand De'Andre Hunter an extension?
The Hawks have made a lot of moves this offseason, but they have also left some big moves on the table as well. Among the biggest of that group is an extension for their starting small forward De'Andre Hunter. Hunter has been looking for an extension all offseason long that the Hawks haven't been willing to give him so far. Whether that will change before training camp remains to be seen.
There's a lot on the line for both sides here. Hunter hasn't exactly proven himself to be very reliable to start his career, but he had a strong finish to the 2021-22 season, and was hoping that would result in a new deal for him this offseason.
For the Hawks, this is their last chance to sign Hunter to a rookie-scale contract extension. If Hunter puts together an incredible 2022-23 season, he may end up being out of their price range, and they could end up watching the fourth overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft walk away for nothing.
Atlanta has been a bit skeptical of paying Hunter because of his lack of consistency. He's struggled with injuries early in his career, and hasn't always been at his best when he's been on the court. But he looked great against the Miami Heat in the playoffs, showing that he may be set to take a step forward this season. The Hawks certainly won't want to miss out if he does take that step forward.
Atlanta has until October 17th to reach an extension with Hunter, and it remains to be seen whether or not there is a deal to be made here. Hunter has a ton of upside, and securing an extension would protect him if he continues to struggle to stay on the court. That's a somewhat scary proposition for the Hawks, but at this point, they can't really risk letting Hunter leave for nothing, and they should do what they can to extend him before the start of the season.
1. How will Trae Young and Dejounte Murray mesh with each other in the Hawks backcourt?
One of the biggest trades this offseason involved the Hawks picking up Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs, pairing him up alongside Trae Young in their backcourt. On paper, that's one of the best backcourt duos in the NBA. But it's fair to wonder whether it will take some time for these two stars to learn how to play alongside each other.
Both Young and Murray have excelled being the main option on their respective teams over the past few seasons. Now they will have to learn how to divide their time controlling the offense. Both guys can create shots on their own and for others, but will they get swallowed up trying to get the other one involved?
It doesn't seem extremely likely, but it's safe to assume it will take the Hawks offense some time to accommodate for the addition of Murray. Him and Young will both need the ball throughout the game, and figuring out how to work with each other to lead Atlanta to victory will take some time.
This isn't an issue that will hinder Atlanta; in fact, it's one of the more exciting questions throughout the league. The Hawks have a lot of talent, but everyone has been waiting to see how Young and Murray will work out playing together. How they mesh with each other in their first season playing together will ultimately determine how far this team goes this year, and it will be exciting to get our first look at the duo with training camp now upon us.
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