After the Atlanta Hawks’ improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals, during the 2020-2021 NBA season, the team’s front office was left in a tough place. Does the franchise run it back with the team that was two games within a finals appearance? Or do they try to improve the roster to get over the hump? As Hawks’ fandom knows, the front office chose to run it back with the same group, but the results were vastly different.
Atlanta failed to live up to their lofty expectations, and at times looked complacent with what they had accomplished the year prior. A gentlemen’s sweep in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, against the one-seeded, Miami Heat, was a giant wake-up call to the front office that things needed to change.
While Atlanta is still relatively young, superstars such as, Trae Young, will not stick around or should stick around with a losing or middle-of-the-pack franchise for loyalty’s sake. The Hawks decided that they did not have time to wait on developing young talent, so Atlanta made some big moves this past offseason. While the cornerstones of the roster remain the same, Atlanta will be deploying a plethora of new faces this season. Hopefully, these changes to the roster will be enough to propel Atlanta back into title contention.
See below for the newest Hawks and what to expect:
- PG Dejounte Murray
2021 Stats: 21.1 PPG, 9.2 APG, 8.3 RPG, 2.0 SPG
Hawks fans have been begging for a player of Dejounte Murray’s caliber for years. Murray’s mesmerizing playmaking, stout defense, and flashy scoring was something the Hawks lacked after their first-round series against the Heat. While there have been debates about his fit in the lineup, it is hard to imagine a player that would blend better next to Trae Young. As a consistent contender for the All-NBA Defensive team and, the NBA steals leader in 2022, Murray’s defensive presence alone is a perfect yin & yang with Young.
In addition, Murray ranked in the top 20 for almost every advanced statistic during his 2022 All-Star campaign. His fast play-style will breathe new life into a team that somehow ranked only 20th in pace this past season. It is hard to quantify the potential impact Dejounte Murray could have on the Atlanta Hawks, but it is also hard to argue against it.
- SF AJ Griffin
2021 Stats (Duke University): 10.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 44.7 3PT%
Touted as the best shooter in the 2022 NBA Draft class, Griffin’s impact on a team goes beyond the per-game statistics. Griffin was a top-20 player in almost every advanced statistic in the ACC and was a “three & D” savant at his lone year at Duke. Griffin graded out about as well as any prospect could have in this past draft, with his stellar shooting splits and above-average on-ball defense. His fit next to Young and Murray is about as perfect as it could get. Griffin’s versatility will allow him to be a spark plug off the bench, and could eventually earn him a starting spot in Atlanta. He should find consistent minutes as long as he can remain healthy.
- SG Justin Holiday
2021 Stats: 10.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 36.7 3PT%
Holiday has spent most of his career as a journeyman, however, he has remained productive no matter where he has been. In his 12 seasons, he has been a consistent average to above-average “three & D” player, shooting around 36.5% from deep for his career. If the injury bug were to hit the Hawks again this season, Holiday will undoubtedly be a serviceable player. While it will be hard to find high-volume minutes for Holiday, his veteran presence on the bench and in the locker room will be most important for Atlanta.
- PG Vit Krejci
2021 Stats: 6.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 32.7% 3PT
Vit Krejci may be an unrecognizable name, but the 2022 second-round draft pick showed flashes of both scoring and playmaking, during his rookie year with the Oklahoma City Thunder. If you have not had the chance to watch any of his highlights, he has shown an ability of shot-creation and solid catch-and-shoot metrics. His size could get him on the floor for potential mismatches, and at 6’8” he should be able to hold his own against some of the bigger guards in the league. I would expect the majority of his minutes to come with the College Park Skyhawks.
- PG Aaron Holiday
2021 Stats: 6.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 2.4 APG, 37.9 3PT%
As far as value goes, Aaron Holiday is about as good as you can get with a back-up point guard. Solid in almost every facet of the game, his defense and shooting will be a necessity for Atlanta’s bench unit. He will be able to play in almost any lineup combination that coach Nate McMillan can come up with, fitting next to both Young and Murray with ease. He is also a serviceable floor general and will be able to run the second unit without another star on the floor.
- C Frank Kaminsky
2021 Stats: 10.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, 90.0 FT%
Coming out of Wisconsin, scouts were very impressed with Kaminsky’s March Madness run and how he could be utilized in the NBA. It was around this same time that Stephen Curry completely revolutionized basketball, basically eliminating the classic back-to-the-basket center. While Kaminsky did not get much of a chance to show off his talent, he has still been a solid role player in his time in the league. Kaminsky will have a tough time finding minutes in Atlanta, with both Onyeka Onkongwu and Clint Capela splitting most of the minutes at the five. However, if there is an injury, Kaminsky a reliable replacement. I would expect a Gorgui Dieng-type role for Kaminsky this season.
- SG Tyrese Martin
2021 Stats(College): 13.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 43.0 3PT%
If you have not heard of Tyrese Martin, I implore you to watch his Summer League highlights against the Miami Heat. Most of the time when you hear about a second-round draft pick, you think journeyman or a low-ceiling player. While Tyrese may not be the ‘second-coming’ of Michael Jordan, he flashed a strong ability to finish through contact and create his own shot. Martin was an extremely low-risk, high-reward pick-up for the club. While I do not expect Martin to have a significant role this season, his impact on the team as an injury-replacement or potential role player off the bench could see him develop into a starting caliber talent in the NBA. His motor gives him a shot to see legit-NBA minutes.
- SG Jarrett Culver
2021 Stats: 3.5 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.9 APG, 25.5 3PT%
Culver was the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, and at the time, there was a real debate over whose talent would translate better to the league between now Hawks forward, De’Andre Hunter or Culver. While Hunter has not had a breakout season due to injury, he has become a pillar of the Hawks’ starting lineup when healthy. Culver on the other hand, has spent the majority of his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves G-League affiliate. Culver may not see too many minutes during his first season with Atlanta, but at just 23-years old, he still has plenty of room for development.
Which new-Hawk player are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comment section below:
