Last Week: (W) over DET, (W) over NOP, (L) to WAS, (L) to PHI
The Atlanta Hawks are something of an enigma this season, as they have been mostly healthy (a major issue last season) but have struggled to beat teams around their level. They beat the Detroit Pistons and New Orleans Pelicans this week, but lost to the Wizards and 76ers. In a small sample that’s fine, but it’s a problem if they consistently lose to good teams all year long.
For now, let’s focus on what this team is. They go legitimately 13 or 14 players deep, have at least two viable options at each position and can move around the pieces to match up against whatever formation they see. That’s an incredibly valuable roster reality in 2021. Cam Reddish has continued to be a difference-maker off the bench, averaging 16.2 points and hitting 43.3 percent of his 3-pointers.
Scares Me: Playing this team in 2023. Right now the Hawks are a team on the rise, and the majority of their core is 24 and under. In two years this team will be much more expensive, but there is a very good chance they are good enough for ownership to pay the tax to keep them together. Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish, DeAndre Hunter, John Collins, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu is a fearsome team in two years, not to mention Bogdan Bogdanovic and Clint Capela.