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When Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks ran it back after their East Finals appearance in 2020-21, many thought that they were going to improve, including team owner Tony Ressler. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
As Ressler admitted, it was one of the biggest mistakes they made. Instead of trying to improve the roster, they just brought their core back and hoped they would all take the next level in their games. That wasn't what happened as the Hawks struggled in the regular season and failed to make it past the first round against the Miami Heat.
Fortunately for the franchise, Ressler is not losing hope that he can turn the team into a championship-caliber squad, which is why he is not afraid to pay big money to make it work.
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“We’re going to pay what we have to pay,” Ressler said, per The Athletic. “Sometimes owners set a tone—and I’m trying to set a very clear tone—sometimes we say some things one season that may not pertain to the next. Going into the tax doesn’t scare us. Obviously, you want to spend money intelligently. Obviously, you want to run a good business. For whatever it’s worth, I do not look at going into the tax as only possible if we’re competing for a championship that season.
“Our job is to go into the tax when it’s good business, to position ourselves for greatness. We do not fear the tax. We do not fear spending money. We fully expect Atlanta to be a truly attractive marketplace for (whoever) considers playing here. Money is not going to be our obstacle.”
The Hawks need another star to pair up with Trae Young, that much is clear after their series with the Heat where the sharpshooter was locked down and unable to score. Adding another capable scorer who can take some load off Ice Trae will be crucial if they want to compete for the title sooner rather than later.
By the looks of it, though, they are determined to find one this offseason even if it means paying the luxury tax.
