Biggest questions for Trae Young, Hawks this offseason

The second crew going fishing this postseason is the Hawks, who have been despatched packing by the Jimmy Butler-and-Kyle Lowry-less Warmth on Tuesday. Atlanta struggled mightily in its first-round collection, because the Warmth grounded its as soon as high-flying offense. Trae Younger had one of many worst stretches of his profession, and the Hawks didn’t do an important job of defending both. (Atlanta’s minus-11.8 web score within the playoffs is second worst solely to the Bulls.) So the place do the Hawks go from right here? Listed below are three offseason questions for the franchise.

What does Trae Younger do About his Protection?

Younger had a tough collection on each ends of the ground in opposition to Miami. Offensively, he was stifled, ending with extra turnovers than discipline targets revamped the course of 5 video games. Defensively, the Warmth continuously concerned him in actions on and off the ball. And since Atlanta tries its hardest to maintain Younger from getting switched (keep in mind when P.J. Tucker caught him within the submit?), the Hawks usually quit open appears to be like elsewhere whereas attempting to assist Younger. Through the common season, Atlanta completed with the fifth-worst protection within the league, although it was slightly higher on that finish of the ground after the All-Star break. The entire crew’s struggles can’t be positioned on Younger. On the similar time, in a playoff collection through which opposing coaches can zero in on him—and have the gamers to take action—it turns into a tough scenario for the Hawks.

Younger’s dimension might be going to stop him from being a real stopper or high-impact defensive participant. Even getting him to one thing like common could be a win, although. And we’ve seen perimeter stars undergo this earlier than. Opposing groups should still hunt Devin Booker, however he’s come a good distance from early in his profession to the place he’s now. Younger might by no means change into adequate to show Atlanta right into a switchable behemoth. He can nonetheless work on how he fights by means of screens, his off-ball consciousness, and chasing gamers who transfer usually within the halfcourt. An enchancment on that finish of the ground from Younger would go a good distance in how the Hawks stack up in opposition to among the higher groups within the East.

Who’s Onyeka Okongwu’s greatest frontcourt accomplice?

Okongwu performed an essential position in the course of the Hawks’ first-round collection, as Clint Capela missed a number of video games resulting from a knee damage. Whereas Okongwu in the end wasn’t impactful sufficient to alter the course of the collection, all through the season and within the playoffs he flashed sufficient potential to be an essential a part of this crew transferring ahead. It’s unclear how he slots into the frontcourt, nevertheless. Per Cleansing the Glass, the 6’9″ Okongwu performed 100% of his minutes at heart this season. (He performed a negligible three minutes with Capela.) Within the 122 minutes that Okongwu performed with Younger and John Collins, the Hawks posted a minus-7.0 web score, with a foul offense and truly satisfactory protection. Okongwu vowed in his exit interview Wednesday he would return subsequent season with a leap shot, which might even have fascinating ramifications for Atlanta.

Basically, whereas the Okongwu-Collins pairing is thrilling in concept, it didn’t ship nice outcomes this season. Can the Hawks count on them to develop right into a extra formidable frontcourt duo? If Okongwu does truly flip right into a little bit of a shooter, pairing him with Capela—signed by means of 2025—intrigues me as a result of it provides this crew a extremely strong defensive frontcourt to guard Younger. Asking Okongwu to change into a adequate shooter in a single offseason to take care of the crew’s spacing will probably be a tall job, although.

What’s nearly actually more likely to occur is Danilo Gallinari is not going to be introduced again subsequent season, as a result of the Hawks can save almost $16 million by releasing him earlier than his contract absolutely ensures. Determining find out how to greatest make the most of Collins, Okongwu and Capela will probably be a fragile dance for the Hawks transferring ahead. Whereas the Collins-Capela pairing has usually been good on each ends of the ground, Okongwu’s upside calls for an even bigger position.

Is De’Andre Hunter the second star?

Hunter was in all probability Atlanta’s greatest participant within the first spherical, main the crew in factors per recreation in addition to choosing up the hardest defensive assignments each night time. I’ve at all times been excessive on Hunter. He’s precisely what you search for in a contemporary wing—dimension, taking pictures and the power to protect a number of positions. Accidents have in all probability held Hunter again greater than something. He missed many of the 2020–21 season and many of the playoffs that 12 months as properly. In ‘21–22, he missed one other 29 video games in the course of the season.

If the Hawks wish to transfer up a tier within the East, discovering a second star—or perhaps a secondary ball-handler—goes to change into essential. Booker has Chris Paul. The Jazz introduced Mike Conley in for Donovan Mitchell. Even Luka Dončić is now flanked by Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie. Particularly with Younger’s taking pictures prowess, there’s a chance for Atlanta’s offense to look a lot completely different if Nate McMillan had any person else to provoke reliably. Think about if Younger moved round off the ball in the same method to Steph Curry? That’s a component lacking from his recreation, and it might each make his life simpler in a collection just like the one in opposition to the Warmth and generate much more open appears to be like for the Hawks’ cadre of shooters. In fact, Curry is one in every of one, and there are causes not each star is dedicated to taking part in that manner. And the Warriors even have one of many nice facilitators within the league in Draymond Inexperienced. However to ensure that the Hawks to leverage Younger’s taking pictures means if he doesn’t have the ball in his arms, they want somebody who can decide aside defenses in his personal proper.

If Hunter can change into that man trusted with the ball in his arms on the high of the important thing, that might vastly profit Atlanta transferring ahead. What the Hawks’ first-round loss confirmed is that this crew wants extra selection, as a result of an important protection can considerably scale back Younger’s affect. Hunter making a leap—and thus making the offense slightly extra egalitarian—would make Atlanta far more troublesome to cease than merely slowing down Younger. Although Hunter has largely been a spot-up participant with the Hawks, he confirmed on this collection he can perform a little extra with the ball in his arms. Having a much less Younger-centric offense the crew can go to when the scenario requires it’s one thing Atlanta undoubtedly must be ready for subsequent season. 

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