Are the Hawks ready to challenge the Eastern Conference?

Are the Hawks ready to challenge the Eastern Conference?

[Applause] Welcome to the Athletic NBA Daily. On today’s show, we are talking Atlanta Hawks. Lots of expectations for the Hawks. And with me is my friend Lauren Williams, who writes for the Atlanta Journal Constitution um about the Atlanta Hawks. It’s great to have you. We had Lauren on many times last season. She’s been on Slam and Jam. uh a great writer, a great podcast guest. We’re glad to have you on again. Thank you so much for having me. As I said, it’s always great to talk, Hawks. And yeah, the expectations are are very much different this year. Yeah. And some of that goes with the the things they did this summer to add to the team. Uh in your mind, what’s the most impactful change that the Hawks made this summer? I think it would have to start with and and this is you know no disrespect to to Landry Fields. I know he was at the beginning of his career as a general manager but it’s clear that the Hawks just needed somebody with a little bit more experience behind that and and moving on from him bringing in or rather promoting Anie um to the general manager role. I think that just kind of kickstarted a lot of, you know, the the change in direction. Um, you know, he he acquired Chrisaps Porzingis for, you know, what feels like pennies on the dollar just because the expectations are a little bit higher, but the the the reward is is pretty much higher than the risk that it is it did to acquire him just because he’s only on contract for one one season. If they want to resign him, they can. I mean, he’s playing for another contract with the Hawks, but they’re not locked into that. And then obviously bringing on uh Nquille Alexander Walker, Luke Canard. Um those are just huge moves just to add some depth to this team. And not only just depth, but a lot more experience in this Hawks team has had in the last couple of seasons. So yeah, I think the promotion of a CET is probably just like the biggest move that the Hawks did this off season. Yeah, this feels like the most depth and the most Trey Young team that we’ve seen. And so, I mean, it feels like a a year where you get to really evaluate what Trey is capable of because you have, you know, perimeter defense out the wazoo. You have floor spacers from the big position. You have a a a guy that can even roll to the basket some and Yaka Kong Woo, who I think has taken some steps forward. Um, so I just think like this is the year where it’s like, hey, what what do we actually have with Trey Young as the leader of this team? And if to me, if this doesn’t work, Yeah. then it’s maybe time to figure out what’s next. Do you feel the same way? I I absolutely do. You know, Trey Young is entering his eighth year in the league. the Hawks have tried a few different iterations of teams around him and it’s like the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over or different things over and over and expecting the same result or a different result or whatever it is. And so the common denominator and that would be Trey if you’re moving so many different pieces around him. And with this being such a big year for him in terms of what does the future look for like for him contractwise? He’s got a player option in the 2026 27 season. The Hawks have like looked at options as far as you know a potential trade partner with Trey and from all that we’ve heard it doesn’t seem like there that many buyers out there for him. And so he’s got to play for his contract this season if he wants to stay in Atlanta or so I I think that’s a huge incentive for him with a team that’s got higher expectations. They’re going to go out and compete because you don’t go out and get a guy like Chris Forzingis and not have the expectation that this team is going to compete. You don’t go out and get a guy like Luke Canard who’s been in the postseason you know what three of the last four years and and not expect there to be a team that’s going to compete. Same with Nquille Alexander Walker going to the Western Conference Finals last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. You have to have the expectation that this team is going to compete. And so that’s something that Trey Young has said that he’s wanted to do. And so you have these pieces now and now it’s time for him to actually go out and make it work with them. Yeah. An interesting storyline that is kind of ongoing with this team. Uh and it started last year with acquiring Dyson Daniels before the season. Um he’s up for a contract extension and he had an awesome year. Awesome year. Um and they recently traded Kobe Buffkin, which shout out to the Buffkin boys. I’m a I was a big believer in Kobe Buffkin at the draft. Um they traded him just for cash. They’re like, “Hey, take Kobe Buffkin off our hands.” I think some of that was get his salary off of our books so that we can extend because it would be really silly not to extend Dyson Daniels and but I I don’t know what the number is that makes sense for him. I I couldn’t tell you myself either. I would think it what you would want. I think Jaylen Johnson’s what in the 16 million range 15 million range. I’m just thinking off the top of my head on Congo is in like that same similar range. So you would anticipate that with him having a season award that maybe that elevates him a little bit to stay in that similar range only because his offensive tool set is still kind of a question mark, you know. So I do think that if they can kind of get him in in that area, then I think that would be a pretty solid deal for him. You don’t want to overextend yourself with him too much just because you just don’t know what he is offensively. I think we are pretty confident in who he is defensively. And that’s not to say that that’s not something that you put a value on, but with the way that this team plays, with what Quinn Snder wants this team to do, he’s going to have to find some more things in his offensive tool bag in order to justify the Hawks kind of really rolling out um the armored trucks for him, if you will. So, I I think the big thing is is that he’s going to have a lot more responsibility this year. I know a lot of people um have slotted had slotted in Kobe Buffkin as sort of the backup point guard, but if you look at the way that the team is constructed, there is no traditional backup point guard on this team. It’s always, I think, going to be a point guard, a backup point guard by committee, if you will, of Jaylen Johnson, uh, Nquille Alexander Walker, Dyson Daniels, Luke Canard, and, in my opinion, underratedly, Zachary Reese, I don’t think we’ve totally seen Zach’s ability as a playmaker yet, just because of how young he is. Um, but I think with the added expectation that Dyson is going to take on some of that role as one of the, you know, secondary playmakers on this roster, especially when Trey goes to the bench, um, that should help, you know, his case for getting a little bit more money, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Jaylen Johnson’s making 30 million, so he’s getting Thank you. Yeah. He’s getting He got the five for 150 deal. I knew it was a multi-year like I knew it was like five something. I don’t know where I was putting the five. So, yeah, Nquille got the 15 million. Thank you. There we go. Is probably what you were thinking. And like, yes, it’s it’s tough. I think that he because he’s super young. One, you know, there’s a there’s a lot of improvement to be had. He’s only 22, 23. Yeah. It’s it’s wild. Uh but he’s going I mean, he can command a lot. Mhm. He could command a whole lot. And so I just wonder, is he going to get something close to that 5 for 150? Is he going to get something closer to what Josh Giddy got out there, the 4 for 100? I I I don’t know what to pay him. He’s extremely valuable, especially if you are moving forward with Trey Young. Uh part of this makes me think like, okay, maybe we do maybe you do wait until restricted free agency with a guy like this. Um I don’t know. It’s a tricky one. That’s a really tricky one. It is a tricky one, but I also think there is a little bit of value in waiting and seeing, especially maybe to get a sense of what the rest of the NBA kind of values Dyson Daniels at. And maybe that can help inform, you know, the direction that this team. Obviously, you don’t want your hand to be twisted or your wrist to be twisted or whatever it is, but I don’t know. The Hawks have had a history of going out and overpaying guys too fast, too soon. And over the last couple of seasons, they’ve kind of steered clear of that. And so I I think you know Johnson had his prove it year for the most part in what 2023 24 season and then he got so I don’t think there’s any harm in them you know maybe keeping the discussion lines open throughout the season and then you know making the offer then afterward. Yeah. I mean, there are a lot of decisions that are coming up. And I like the construction of this team, but things could change pretty rapidly because Porzingis is on his last deal that you mentioned. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent. Uh Trey Young needs a contract extension as well. Um and so as much as some people really like the iteration of this roster, maybe it does stay together, maybe it works perfectly and his team wins 50 games and they get to the conference finals again. Uh like that would be great. But there is also another world where things unravel just because of the contract situations that they have in front of them. For sure. And I think too they’re of course very much concerned with building not that not a team that’s just kind of competing for, you know, a conference finals, a finals position this season, but they’re very much adamant wanting to build a team that’s going to be competing in that realm for multiple years. And so with them, you know, acquiring, you know, a couple more picks, maybe that also helps to inform their decision of what they want to pay somebody like Dyson Daniels, especially if, you know, in this upcoming draft class, you can find somebody that can provide a similar skill set for cheaper. Yeah. Yeah, that’s totally possible. Um, number one pick, Zachary Reese Shay. Mhm. He had an interesting Euro basket. I would say he I think he’s great for this particular Hawks team because like he’s wired to be unselfish in so many ways. Um he’s a guy that loves to play off of other guys. He’s his unselfishness I think is a great thing for him in the NBA. It I think it kind of hurt maybe the perception of him in Euro Basket a little bit. Um, but what are the expectations for this guy? I think that, you know, looking back, it was a, it was certainly a question. It was a weird draft year. It was a weird year to have the number one pick. No one really knew who was supposed to be the number one pick. I look back at it and I think, you know what, the Hawks did a good job. I agree. A big wing that can shoot it. He fits into the way that they want to play. I think that he has a chance to take a step this year. What are the What are the expectations for for Reese heading into this season? I mean, I think the big thing is that he does take a step in this upcoming year. I think he continues to uh, you know, be a consistent shooter. We saw that sort of come alive toward the end of the season. He was what, shooting, you know, close to 40%, if not 40% in the latter half of the year. And once he kind of got over the, you know, habit that a lot, I think a lot of rookies do with questioning some of their shot selection or the hesitation, um, he looked a lot more confident knocking shots down. And so I think the expectation is that he continues to build on that. And I kind of touched on it a little bit already is just his ability to be somebody that could be a playmaker, especially, you know, alongside a guy like Jaylen Johnson who pushes the pace. Zack has the ability to make things happen in the half court. I think that’s an underrated part of his game. Um, and then also he’s playing off of AP now who does have the ability to make younger guys around him better. We saw it when he went to DC uh with the Wizards and he was helping guys like uh who was on that team when he f first came to DC? Um I know why am I blanking on that team? Koozma was on that team and Koosma looked really good that season. Uh who else was there? This was this is a very forgettable Wizards team. I mean be was obvious be was obviously there was there and it and he had the ability to make those guys around him look better even though again yes you’re right it was I couldn’t forget who was on that or couldn’t remember who was on that team but I just remember that Wizards team giving the Hawks problems just because of uh Porzingis’ ability to stretch the floor um and then obviously being around other guys like Nquille Alexander Walker again Lukinard all have postseason experience and can pour or into some of those young guys. But I I definitely think the the bar is raised for Zach to really take another step forward and especially on the defensive end. I think that was what a lot of people had questions about was whether he could be an impact player on the defensive end and his offball work I think was pretty solid for a 19year-old. So you expect that he’s going to continue um improving on that side of the ball as well. But I think, you know, him continuing to play with pace, continuing to find ways to make plays on the offensive end, I think that’s kind of what this team wants him to do while still being unselfish, of course. Yeah. Yeah. I think that he has probably been forgotten in some ways just because you think about Jaylen Johnson, you think about Trey Young, the Porzingis edition, even Nquille is somebody that people think a lot about, but they have this, you know, 68 wing that can do a little bit of everything. developing in the background a little bit. I think it’s and that’s probably even good for him that he’s not, you know, out front and center. Um, so I I I think that he’s going to have a really nice second year. I look forward to watching him. Oh, for sure. And I think too, uh, I know a lot of a lot of not pressure necessarily, but like the expectation is that having Chris Porzingis in the lineup is going to open up the floor for a lot of guys. obviously Jaylen Johnson who you know likes to attack the basket. Um but also it’s going to help guys like Dyson Daniels and Zachary Reese who have the ability to cut to the basket and that’s a huge part of their games. And so if you have somebody like KP who commands a lot of attention that’s going to take a lot of a lot of pressure off of guys like Zack and and Dyson. Yeah, my I think this team has good depth. The thing I do worry about is the center position for them because if Porzingis will probably play 60ish games if he has a normal year uh and maybe more maybe less but then it’s in Yako Kong Woo and then who would be my question is going to be a a backup center for them. Um, I think a lot of people do forget about uh, and Folly Dante, who they signed underratedly from from the Rockets. Um, I think one of the big things that the Hawks right now really like about what they have at center position is all three of those guys are so different in so many different ways in terms of how they play. Ana is a little bit of a hybrid. Uh, Dante Cordovir, traditional big and then obviously Porzingis. And I think the fact that they have those guys who do such different things, um, it’s certainly going to make training camp interesting competition-wise. I don’t even think the Hawks know who’s going to be their starter yet, but I personally would probably start Anka just because of his durability last season and him really and truly earning that starter position. Uh, I think you have a bit more flexibility with KP coming off the bench, but also I think a lot of people forget that KP could play the four. Um, and so I do think, you know, they have a little bit more versatility at the big. I think the Hawks aren’t particularly worried about how many minutes each guy is going to play and it’s going to kind of balance out just because both of those players in KP and Ona can kind of switch a little bit at the four and the five. Um, and so when you throw Dante in there a little bit, I think that takes maybe some of the worry about, well, is it going to be sustainable for KP to play X amount of minutes or can Anka play? I mean, Anka played dang near 40 minutes in that last playing game or near 50 minutes in that last playing game or whatever it was um against the Heat and he looked really good. that he was putting in a lot of work and obviously that’s not something you want your center to be doing all season long, but he’s put a lot of effort into making his body stronger so that he can have a lasting impact on the team. And so I do think that that’s kind of what the the center I think a lot of people also forget that Mo can play minutes at the five in a pinch. It’s not it’s not always perfect, right? But it’s it’s he’s there and he does add a lot of depth. he can also play the four. Also, Ace of Duel. I don’t think the expectation is that ASA Newell is going to be playing a ton of minutes um you know in with the main roster. I think he’s going to spend you know quite a bit of time in College Park. But he’s a very smart player and from everything that I’ve heard in the Hawks organization this summer, it’s like he picks up things fairly quickly. And so I think, you know, he will come along at a a solid pace that if you need him to step up and and put him on the big stage, he can handle it. Yeah. What do you think the biggest swing factor is for this team? If they’re if they’re going to achieve the things that people that are the highest on the Hawks think they can achieve, let’s say outside of injuries, because I think injuries I was going to say injuries are the biggest swing factor for every team. So, I won’t let you use that one, but what is a swing factor for them like on the court that you think could get them to being like a conference finalist again? Yeah, I think the biggest thing is if that they can even if they’re not per se winning the non Trey Young minutes, if they can at least sustain production enough in a way that there isn’t as steep of drop off as they had in seasons past. I think that’s sort of the swing thing. That’s a that’s what a lot of people worry about is just what does the offense look like when Trey goes to the bench? And if you have guys like Dyson Daniels and Nikquille Alexander Walker and Luke Canard, you know, sustaining that production, um, or even keeping it as close to what Trey Young can, you know, potentially do this upcoming season. I think that’s a huge part of what will make this Hawks team successful just because if if you don’t have to overrely on the defense uh like the Hawks had to do last year when Trey went to the bench, then I think they’re a team that can be, you know, very scary. Very, very scary. Yeah, I agree. I love this team. Um but that said, what’s the most realistic outcome? You know, let’s fast forward. Season’s over. Mhm. We’re doing exit interviews. What’s the most likely outcome for this Hawks team? I I have them getting to at best the conference finals. Of course, it it’s it’s I just it’s hard for me to see this team making it all the way to the finals. I do think that they could make a a a conference finals run, especially if things all line up the way that, you know, if obviously injuries happen during the season, but if they’re at a point where it’s not something that, you know, truly impacts the season in a negative way, uh, like for example, Jaylen Johnson not going down in January with the the season ending shoulder surgery, um, if if the injuries are as minimal as possible or is, you know, what’s the word I’m looking for? Light. Um, not as serious. I I I’m struggling with words, but I think if if that’s the case, and they can get as far as the conference finals, especially because the East is so wide open right now. Um, realistically, I have them finishing the regular season around fifth, just because it’s just so hard for me to predict what Detroit is going to look like. And I think that’s just kind of to me their most comparable competition if if in terms of just teams that line up. I think those two teams are going to be battling for fourth and fifth. Agreed. Um and then I think Milwaukee six. I don’t know. I just I I I’m really I’m really intrigued by the Giannis Turner pairing. I’m really intrigued to see how that sort of works out. Um but yeah, so exit interviews, I think we’re probably talking to them maybe after, you know, the semis, the Eastern Conference semis. Yeah, realistically, which is a step forward. I think that that that to me is super realistic. I think that that makes sense to me. Go read Lauren at the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Anything else you want to promote before we go, Lauren? Support local journalism. Yes. I love that. I love that. Um Lauren, we’ll have you on again as the season progresses. Uh we’re big Hawks fans here at the Athletic NBA Daily, so we’ll definitely be hitting you up. Uh thanks for coming on. Thanks for having me. [Music] [Music]

Andrew Schlecht is joined by Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution to discuss the Atlanta Hawks and their season outlook. Andrew and Lauren discuss Trae Young and the season he needs to have to stay with Atlanta, how the additions of Porzingis and Alexander-Walker will impact the season, what a Dyson Daniels extension could look like, how Okongwu is expected to perform this season, and where the Hawks will end up at the end of the season.

Host: Andrew Schlecht
With: Lauren Williams
Executive Producer: Andrew Schlecht
Audio/Video Producer: Grayson Moody

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/nba/

Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEuhZTLf0SW9N9etjaRh-KK7zRgKUOQ9l

Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEuhZTLf0SW8NBkdA2krD_sHQfI7Uhn4r

Timecodes:
00:00 – Intro
00:48 – Onsi Saleh making huge moves in offseason
02:21 – Now or never for Trae Young?
04:33 – Dyson Daniels’ contract extension
09:32 – Big decisions ahead
10:48 – Zaccharie Risacher
14:47 – What Porzingis can do for his teammates
15:25 – Center depth / starting selection headache
18:28 – Sustaining offense without Trae
20:03 – Most realistic outcome?

Thumbnail: Gregory Shamus / Staff via Getty Images Sport

#nba #atlantahawks #traeyoung #kristapsporzingis #dysondaniels