By: Sean Barden & Mac Cummings
CURRENT RECORD: 23-25 (11th Seed in Eastern Conference)
As the NBA Season approaches the annual All-Star break, the Atlanta Hawks may be playing their best basketball of the season. The Hawks have been a roller coaster team pre-All Star break, falling as much as eight games below .500 at one point. Coming into the season it was easy to ride the “hype-train” and have high expectations for this team, but every Hawks fan has had a staunch reality check at some point this season. As of late, the Hawks have been on a roll, and look like a completely different team. They have won six straight games and firmly positioned themselves back into the playoff picture. There has been months of hardship, trade rumors and locker room “drama,” but it looks like Atlanta may finally be getting back on track. Time to review the team and its players at this point of the season.
Trae Young (PG): A+
Trae Young’s rise to stardom was unprecedented, but it was a revelation for Atlanta fans. Young announced his arrival to the league during last year’s stellar playoff run, but this year he has taken the step forward to establish himself amongst the greats of the game. While the Hawks may not have the team success as teams like Golden State or Brooklyn, Young has evolved into maybe the best player at his position. Even for “basketball heads,” the only legitimate arguments to contend with Young’s supremacy are Stephen Curry or Chris Paul. Since Young’s sophomore season, he has scored the third-most total points and has the most assists in the NBA during that span. He has only built on that success this season. Young was also elected to his second All-Star game, and it will be his second time being selected as an All-Star starter. If the Hawks keep winning games, I would also expect to see his name pop-up in the MVP conversation as well. As the season gets closer to the playoff-push, look for Ice Trae to heat up and lead his Hawks into the playoffs.Â
Stats
27.5 ppg, 9.2 apg, 1.1 spg, 45.0% FG, 37.5% 3PT, 90.1% FT, 34.5 mpg
Potential Accolades
All-Star Starter (already selected), finish top-10 in MVP voting, assist title, scoring title, potential All-NBA Team selection
Kevin Huerter (SG): C+
Kevin Huerter had high expectations coming into the 2021-22 season, largely due to his closing performance in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers, in last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals. As always the case with “K’Von,” when he is aggressive on both ends of the floor, he gets things done; but when he is playing conservatively and not looking to score, his presence can fade out of a game. With Cam Reddish being moved to New York, Huerter has been given a much bigger opportunity to operate with the ball in his hands, and he has certainly taken advantage of it. A great example of this was his individual game against the Sacramento Kings, where he finished 25 points and a dagger lay-up, leading a short-handed Hawks team to victory. With Reddish gone, Kevin is in an ideal position to cement himself as Ice Trae’s backcourt running mate.Â
Stats
11.3 ppg, 2.8 apg, 3.3rpg, 46% FG, 36.2% 3PT, 28.7 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/A
De’Andre Hunter: B
De’Andre Hunter’s absence from the starting lineup causes a seismic differentiation to how this team plays basketball. For instance, in the Hawks first 42 games, they averaged a defensive rating of 113.28 (28th in the NBA), since Hunter was added back in to the fold, that defensive rating has dropped to 109.8 (15th in NBA). Hunter’s addition is not the only reason for this turnaround, but he is certainly a big part of it. Having a player that you can stick on the other teams’ best player, night-in-and-night-out, and know that they are going to wreak havoc is an absolute luxury. Not only has his defense helped shift the season, but his offense has been just as good. Hunter can handle the ball and create his own shot when need-be, but he works great with Young too because he does not need the ball to succeed. He is a great shooter, rebounder, and the Hawks will likely need him to be healthy in order to make the push for the playoffs. Hunter’s wrist injury did hurt his rating a little bit due to availability, but if he was playing like this all year, it would have been an easy A.
Stats
12.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 46% FG, 41% 3PT, 28.7 mpg
Potential Accolades
Potential All-NBA Defensive team selection
John Collins: B+
Collins’ impact on the floor has been polarizing for Hawks fans this season. On the one hand, his high-flying dunks, soul-crushing blocks, and above average sharp-shooting have been a breath of fresh air during a tough stretch of games. On the other hand, some will argue that a player getting paid the max money contract needs to put up more max-player “like” statistics. However you personally may feel about his impact on the floor, his influence in the locker room is undeniable. If you watch every game, you have probably seen his classic handshakes and a smile that can light up the whole arena. His statistics and output, may not be on the level of some of the best bigs in the league, but he has been highly efficient. John Collins is top-10 in the NBA for three-point percentage, something that you do not normally see with power forwards. He is second in Win Shares on the Hawks, second in True Shooting, while also ranking sixth in Usage Percentage. ‘JC’ may not get the same recognition as some of the players on this team, but he is integral part to Atlanta’s success.
Stats
16.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 53.8% FG, 40.7% 3PT, 31.8 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/A
Clint Capela: C+
It is tough to calculate the effect that Clint Capela has on this team. His lack of touch around the rim or any offensive game has been glaring this season. What everyone knows Capela for is his defense, rebounding and being the anchor for a Hawks’ team that has struggled dramatically with staying in front of their man. The easiest way to measure his impact is by looking at how the team has performed without him. With Capela out, the Hawks went on a five-game losing streak, and went 4-5 overall for all the games he did not appear in the month of January. The biggest reason for the losses in all of those games? You guessed it- defense and rebounding. Atlanta is getting back into a groove with their current six-game winning streak, I would expect Capela’s mark to be felt even more as the season goes on.Â
Stats
11.3 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 0.8 spg, 57.5% FG, 29.1 mpg
Potential Accolades
Rebounding Title, Finish top-5 in Defensive Player of the Year voting
Onyeka Okongwu: A-
Onyeka Okongwu’s return to the hardwood in mid-December was a welcomed sight for Hawks fans. The Hawks were not able to pull off the win against the Denver Nuggets that night in December, but with ‘OO’ finishing with 10 points in 13 minutes of action, he showed he would be able to bounce back rather quickly. Onyeka, along with De’Andre Hunter, provided an instant defensive spark for this team, that the club was desperately searching for. He has also been able to produce offensively when asked to do so. In the six games he has started this season, Okongwu has put up averages of: 10.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 blocks per game, while shooting 67.6% from the field, and having a +/- rating of +23. It would be unfair to do a recap of Okongwu’s season, without mentioning some of the big-name players he has been able to shut down this season. This list includes the likes of: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Karl Anthony-Towns, and Bam Adebayo. There will probably be more names added to that list as the season goes on. If the Hawks are able to turn their season around and become a top-6 seed, to avoid the play-in tournament, ‘OO’ will be a huge reason why.
Stats
9.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg, 72.8% FG, 23.3 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/A
Bogdan Bogdanovic: C-
I am not sure if there is any player on the Hawks that has had a more up-and-down season than Mr. Bogdanovic. He started the season decently back in October, shooting almost 50% from the field and 40% from three. I personally think he was starting to his is stride in November, as he had a season-high 20 points against the Orlando Magic, shooting 7-of-11 that night. He also posted a +36 +/- against the Memphis Grizzlies the night before he sprained his ankle against the New York Knicks. He was well on his way to playing like the ‘Bogi’ we all fell in love with last spring, but injuries halted the trajectory. Bogdanovic did heal up and was able to return in late-December. Unfortunately, he did not look 100 percent as his normal production was not there. Then the inevitable happened, and Bogdanovic was put into the league’s health and safety protocols due to his exposure to Covid. So needless to say, rhythm has been hard to come by for Bogdanovic this season. He has played well in his two games since coming back, most notably, off of the bench. If ‘Bogi’ can embrace this role and keep up that production, he will be a big piece for Atlanta’s rotation.
Stats
12.5 ppg, 2.7 apg, 3.7 rpg, 42% FG, 35.8% 3PT, 28.5 mpg
Potential Accolades
Delon Wright: C+
When the Hawks traded for Wright from the Kings last offseason I have to admit, I did not think much of the acquisition. I knew from day one that he would be the solidified backup-point guard and that he would not contribute heavily offensively, as he is known around the league for his defensive expertise. I did not, however, envision him as having virtually no role in our offense for the first couple months of the season. Wright played stout defense during that span, but the drastic dip in production on the offensive side of the floor was becoming more evident. He has since picked up his play on the offensive side of the ball and it looks as if his comfort level has grown within the system. At the end of the day, the Hawks just need Wright to come in with the second unit, play shut-down defense, and facilitate the offense. He does not need to drop 20+ points each night, the Hawks already have guy’s for that.Â
Stats
4.4 ppg, 2.5 apg, 2.8 rpg, 0.9 spg, 45% FG, 18.1 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/A
Danilo Gallinari: B
‘Gallo’ does not only share the European connection with Bogdanovic, but they also have in common a season of up-and-down play, as well. Gallinari started the season a little slow in terms of production. He picked things up in December and has had himself a rather productive stretch. Through 12 games in January, Gallinari has posted double-figure scoring out-puts in eight of those games, all while coming off the bench. Gallinari is another name you will hear in a lot of potential-trade rumors as we approach the trade deadline. If ‘Gallo’ remains a Hawk, expect him to be a big piece off the Hawks bench.
Stats
10.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 42.5% FG, 39.7% 3PT, 23.1 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/A
Gorgui Dieng: C+
With Okongwu coming back from injury, Dieng’s role has diminished quite a bit. It was only a matter of time as the Hawks awaited the return of Okongwu. I personally feel like Dieng has played a very serviceable role for the team this season. He has even developed a three-point shot and has a surprisingly good touch for a big man. Gorgui is not a guy who is going to consistently put up double-double numbers, but that is not what the Hawks need him to do. If he remains a Hawk, expect him to play some minutes down the stretch of the season and adding depth to the big man position. The Hawks are going to need valuable minutes out of the whole team, including Dieng, when called upon.
Stats
3.4 ppg , 3.0 rpg, 46% FG, 39.6% 3PT, 9.3 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/A
Lou Williams: C+
At the beginning of the season, we at HawksFanTV predicted that Lou would fall victim to the depth on the Hawks roster this year, and only play in key situational circumstances. That is about exactly what we have seen from Lou this year. Williams is in his 17th NBA season, and is in his second stint with the Hawks. He is also 35 years old and is technically listed as the third point guard on the depth chart. The production we have seen from Lou this season does not match the production he was giving the Hawks late-last season and into the playoffs. His production this season so far should match our expectations for him. Much like ‘Gallo’ and ‘Bogi’, since returning from injury, Lou has put together a pretty good stretch in the month of January. One may think that the coaching staff agreed to pace the veteran, in preparation of a late-season playoff push. If he can sustain that type of play, it only gives Atlanta another weapon off the pine.
Stats
7.0 ppg, 1.9 apg, 39.7% FG, 14.5 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/A
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot: D
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, or as he is more often referred to as, ‘TLC’, has been a polarizing player for Atlanta to say the least. To be fair to ‘TLC’, his role on the team coming into the season was not nearly as important as it was two months into the season. ‘TLC’ was seeing around four minutes a game during the months of October and November. He then saw his minutes soar to 28 per game for the month of December. This was due to the Covid outbreak on the team, and the Hawks were left with parts and pieces all over the roster. He was certainly thrown into the thick of it, and unfortunately, did not perform at a high-level. With the Hawks having a healthier squad, you should expect to see less playing time from ‘TLC’.
Stats
4.3 ppg, 39.5% FG, 13.2 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/A
Skylar Mays: C
Skylar Mays was never expected to have a significant role on this team, but he filled in admirably when the Hawks were hit hard with Covid. Mayes will more than likely continue to rotate between being a bench player for the Hawks to being a starter for our G-League affiliate team, the College Park Skyhawks. Skylar’s grade does not reflect how much he has produced, but more so a reflection of how he has done exactly what this coaching staff has asked of him.
Stats
3.9 ppg, 51.7% FG, 9.6 mpg
Potential Accolades
N/AÂ
Jalen Johnson: N/A
When we released our preseason predictions of this squad back in mid-October, we believed that Jalen was the steal of the draft. Unfortunately, for an unknown reason to the public, he has barely seen any playing time and there is not much of a sample size on what he can do at the NBA level. Johnson has been rather impressive in the NBA’s G-League, as he is averaging a double-double (17.3 ppg and 10.0 rpg). The question remains though: why has he not been given more playing time? All we know is that in order for our prediction of “steal of the draft” to come to fruition, Johnson would need to play a significantly larger role going forward, which may not happen this season.
Stats
N/A
Potential Accolades
N/A
Sharife Cooper: N/A
Before the season started, our HawksFanTV staff believed that Sharife would eventually earn his minutes on this team and carve a role in the second unit. Much like Jalen Johnson, Sharife is on the same boat of no playing time. He is young and has a ton of raw talent, but for whatever reason that has not been able to get him on the court. I personally feel that Sharife is a victim of our depth once again, because of the guys ahead of him on the roster. I did think going into the season that he would eventually work his way up the depth chart, but this has not been the case, even during the Covid outbreak. Hopefully, we are able to see more of Cooper later this season, and if not this season, then next year when Lou Williams will be out of the picture with his impending retirement. For now, he and Johnson will keep grinding in the G-League until further notice.
Stats
N/A
Potential Accolades
N/A
The Hawks still boast one of the deepest rosters in all of basketball. There could be an argument made that the depth is why Atlanta has not been as cohesive as they were last spring and postseason. With that being said, this Hawks squad could look very different this time next month and all we can do is sit back and watch the team climb up the standings. Trade or not, the Hawks are poised for a big second-half of the season. If any team can do it, it is the Hawks, considering the eerie similarities with how the team has played most of this year and their recent hot play, compared to the team that went 27-11 down the stretch last year. It looks like the Hawks are slowly turning into that team no one wants to see again. Continue to “Trust in Travis” and continue to support these guys as this season moves along. There is a lot of basketball left to play.
What moments have stood out to you in this first portion of the season? Who has impressed you and who has let you down? Let us know with your comments below!
