Atlanta Hawks: 5 reasons they won’t make the playoffs in 2017-18
4. Inexperience
The Atlanta Hawks invited 20 players to training camp this month, and eight have less than two years of experience.
Ersan Ilyasova is the only player on the roster to start at least 50 percent of the total appearances in his career and no one on the team has averaged 25 minutes a game for their career.
More from Atlanta Hawks
- 5 NBA players everyone should be keeping a close eye on in 2023-24
- NBA Trades: This Hawks-Mavericks deal is a winner for both teams
- NBA Trades: Atlanta forms a big three with this win-now deal with Toronto
- Grading the John Collins trade for the Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz
- NBA Rumors: Atlanta is pushing to add a third star in a major trade
Atlanta went from the fifth-oldest roster in the league to a younger roster, and more importantly for new general manager Travis Schlenk, found financial flexibility for the future.
The Hawks are one of just eight teams in the league entering the 2017-18 season with a total salary of less than $100 million and only two players, Dennis Schroder and Miles Plumlee, are the only players with a guaranteed contract more than two years out.
Dewayne Dedmon was brought in at center, rookie John Collins will probably start at power forward, and Taurean Prince, entering his sophomore year in the league, rounds out the most likely candidates to start in the frontcourt.
Dennis Schroder just completed his first year as the starting point guard and Kent Bazemore was benched for the playoffs, but returns as the starting shooting guard. Numerous players are being thrust into a more prominent role, tempering expectations for the Hawks next year.