A trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021 has been followed up by two first-round exits from the playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks. The upcoming 2023-24 season proves to be very important for this organization, one that has consistently gone through changes over the years.
Trae Young has been the face of the franchise ever since they acquired him on draft night in 2018, yet the Hawks have been unable to build on that Eastern Conference Finals appearance that acted as a coming-out party for the point guard. Nate McMillan helped lead Atlanta on that deep playoff run after replacing Lloyd Pierce midseason, but McMillan was replaced by Quin Snyder this past season thanks to an underachieving roster.
In eight seasons as the head coach of the Utah Jazz, Snyder boasted six winning seasons, including six playoff appearances. The Jazz owned the best record in the league during the 2020-21 season with a 52-20 record.
Atlanta is hopeful that Snyder will be able to turn things around quickly. The Hawks coach has completely revamped his staff during the summer, bringing in familiar faces he found success with in the past. Development and consistency have been the two main points of emphasis for the Hawks in the offseason, which is why they have elected to open up minutes for some of their recent draft picks.
Change was inevitable for this organization heading into the summer and, now, they have a new look heading into the 2023-24 season.
Offseason additions and departures
Additions: G Patty Mills (trade), G Kobe Bufkin (draft), G/F Wesley Matthews (free agency), F Mouhamed Gueye (draft), G Seth Lundy (draft)
Departures: F John Collins (trade – UTA), G Aaron Holiday (free agency – HOU), Frank Kaminsky (overseas)
The biggest change the Hawks made this offseason involved 2017 first-round pick John Collins. After six seasons with the franchise and hearing his name involved in trade rumors constantly, Collins was finally moved. However, Atlanta did not necessarily receive the value they were hoping for in said trade.
Despite agreeing to a five-year, $125 million contract in 2021, the Hawks moved Collins to the Jazz in exchange for veteran forward Rudy Gay and a future second-round pick. This draft asset Atlanta will be receiving is the Memphis Grizzlies' 2026 second-round pick, which likely will not convey since it is protected from 43-60.
Following the completion of this trade, the Hawks then dealt Rudy Gay, Usman Garuba, TyTy Washington and the Golden State Warriors' 2026 second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for veteran guard Patty Mills. Both Garuba and Washington were acquired by Atlanta earlier this offseason in a smaller trade with the Houston Rockets.
Essentially, the Hawks were able to move on from Collins and the remaining $78.5 million on his contract for a heavily protected 2026 second-round pick and Mills, who may or may not remain on their roster heading into the regular season.
The deal involving Collins was not too surprising, especially since Atlanta needed to make some changes financially this summer. Trae Young has a max contract with the team through the 2026-27 season that he signed last year and Bogdan Bogdanovic signed an extension in March that keeps him under contact through the 2026-27 season as well.
With Dejounte Murray entering the final year of his contract and getting his own extension, as well as De'Andre Hunter's new contract kicking in, Collins ended up being the odd man out.
This offseason was all about securing their long-term core, as Young, Murray, Hunter, Bogdanovic and veteran center Clint Capela are all under contract with the team for at least the next two seasons. As a result, the Hawks have stability and options if they are to once again try and flip their roster around in the future.
As far as the rest of their additions, the Hawks added Kobe Bufkin, Mouhamed Gueye and Seth Lundy in the 2023 NBA Draft, all of whom are not expected to hold significant roles during the 2023-24 season. Veteran wing Wesley Matthews was also added in free agency, but he is nothing more than an experienced leader for this locker room who will provide depth in case of injuries.
Not much has changed with this roster, but in wake of Collins' departure, the Hawks' second unit will consist of a few of their recent first-round draft picks.
Atlanta's youth to see more minutes
With John Collins now in Utah, there is an opening in the Hawks' starting lineup at the power forward position. It's certainly a possibility that De'Andre Hunter could slide over to this spot and Saddiq Bey could be inserted into the starting rotation.
Bey came over to Atlanta from the Detroit Pistons ahead of last season's trade deadline and ended up playing in 25 total games, seven of which he started in. Another option for the Hawks is to have 2021 first-round pick Jalen Johnson be the team's starting power forward.
Johnson, 21, is a very athletic forward who is still developing, but presents a lot of promise moving forward. He ended up seeing his minutes increase dramatically once Snyder took over the reins on the sideline, and the organization is very high on his upside entering the new year.
“Jalen is a versatile player that can do a lot. He can handle the ball a little bit, he's big, he's physical and his athleticism definitely stands out,” a team source who was granted anonymity to speak freely told ClutchPoints this offseason. “His ability to drive downhill and get to the rim and finish is very special. Obviously, JJ is still developing his jump shot, but he definitely has the confidence to score from anywhere.
“Versatility is something every team looks for nowadays and he certainly fits the mold of being a unique player who can guard multiple positions while being explosive around the rim on the opposite side of the floor.”
Johnson will be featured as a secondary contributor for the Hawks in their frontcourt, as will 2020 No. 6 pick Onyeka Okongwu. Every season he has been in Atlanta, Okongwu has increased his production and value. Entering his fourth season in the league, the young big man is ready to take on an even bigger role.
Okongwu's quick rise has made Capela somewhat expendable, but the team has not shown clear interest in trading the veteran before the start of the new season. However, this does not mean they won't look to do so ahead of the trade deadline several months from now.
A lengthy shot blocker who can rebound as well as any other big man in the league, Okongwu plays with a level of confidence that is rare in a young frontcourt player. He has a high basketball IQ and fits the Hawks' style of play perfectly, especially in pick-and-roll sets with Young and Murray. It is not hard to believe that he will see over 25 minutes per game this upcoming year.
AJ Griffin is the other recent first-round pick who is set to see a bigger role heading into his second NBA season. Drafted 16th overall last year, Griffin came up just short of being named to the All-Rookie Team after averaging 8.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 72 total games during his rookie campaign. He is a confident player who always seems to know what to do with the ball in his hands.
The Hawks have some high-potential players on their roster. Young and Murray can only do so much for this team, though, which is why the youthful talents in Atlanta will need to continue to step up and answer the call.
2023-24 season outlook
While there is certainly room for growth in Atlanta following a mediocre 41-41 season, the Hawks still appear to be an incomplete organization. There are always questions surrounding their front office's willingness to make big moves. Compared to the likes of the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks in the East, Atlanta still seems like they are one star away from being true competiors.
Perhaps they will find this third star next to Young and Murray in one of their young talents described previously, but it's much more likely that something will need to transpire for this franchise before the 2024 trade deadline.
The Hawks will need to make a decision at the center position sooner than later, as Capela has drawn trade interest and Okongwu is entering the final year of his rookie contract. No extension has been given to Okongwu yet, which says that Atlanta is keeping their veteran big man for the time being.
As for who the team could target to really push for a top spot in the conference, Toronto Raptors All-Star Pascal Siakam is the one player that has been linked to the Hawks all offseason long. Atlanta has not been shy about pursuing Siakam and even offered up Hunter, Griffin and some draft compensation for the two-time All-NBA forward.
At this time, the Raptors do not seem interested in trading Siakam. However, should Toronto fail to meet expectations over the first two months of the regular season, Siakam will once again become a hot name on the trade block as the trade deadline approaches. That is when Atlanta could potentially make a move and acquire that third All-Star talent.
The Hawks are not in a great position right now, but they are not in a bad position whatsoever. This is a team that has potential to grow and finally has an experienced head coach who knows what it takes to win at the highest level possible. Young and Murray are going to put their team in positions to win games this upcoming year, which is why the Hawks remain an intriguing team to watch in the Eastern Conference.
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