Atlanta Hawks 2012-13 NBA Preview

Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule

Atlanta Hawks

2011-12 Vitals:

40-26, 2nd in Southeast Division, 5th in Eastern Conference
96.6 PPG/93.2 OPP PPG

2012-13 Roster:

Devin Harris – G
Al Horford – C/F
John Jenkins – G
Kyle Korver – G-F
Anthony Morrow – G
Zaza Pachulia – C
Johan Petro – C
Mike Scott – F
Josh Smith – F
DeShawn Stevenson – G
Jeff Teague – G
Jordan Williams – F
Lou Williams – G

Offseason Additions:

Kyle Korver, Lou Williams, Devin Harris, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro, Jordan Williams, DeShawn Stevenson, John Jenkins, Mike Scott

Offseason Subtractions:

Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Kirk Hinrich, Willie Green, Jason Collins, Vladimir Radmanovic, Jerry Stackhouse

Projected Starters:

PG – Devin Harris
SG – Anthony Morrow
SF – Kyle Korver
PF – Josh Smith
C – Al Horford

Season Outlook:

The Atlanta Hawks aren’t going to be the same team that finished 14 games above .500 during the 2011-12 season. They’ve said goodbye to Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams and Kirk Hinrich and have replaced them with much more inexpensive options.

Although this season won’t be a big winner, the summer of 2013 will be extremely interesting. The Hawks have approximately $22 million in contracts and will have a lot of room to add a superstar and re-sign Josh Smith.

Making the playoffs isn’t out of the question but the Hawks will rely on Lou Williams to take the big shots that Johnson took with him to Brookyln.

Best-Case Scenario:

Health doesn’t become an issue and the core of Horford, Smith, Williams and Teague carry the Hawks to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Lack of a clutch scorer keeps them from jumping higher.

Worst-Case Scenario:

Smith gets upset about his impending contract situation, Horford can’t stay healthy and Williams shoots like the lights are out. Team finishes in the lottery and desperately chases Dwight Howard in the offseason.