Photo: USA TODAY Sports - Jason Getz
The Perpetual Motion of the Atlanta Hawks
By Bryan Toporek
wide-open 3-pointer in the regular
The Atlanta Hawks were easily
season.
the biggest surprise of the 201415 season, exploding out to a 40-8
This season, the pressure is
record en route to a franchise-high 60
on the Hawks to prove their 2014wins.
15 campaign was no fluke. Carroll
departed Atlanta in free agency, but
Though they lacked a true
the team’s other primary pieces are all
superstar, head coach Mike
returning.
Budenholzer’s Spurs-ian system
helped each member of the team play
In addition, the Hawks brought
to his own strengths. It resulted in
in former San Antonio Spurs big
four of the five Hawks starters being
man Tiago Splitter in a salary dump,
named All-Stars—with DeMarre
signed Walter Tavares and Justin
Carroll the lone exception—and all
Holiday, and acquired Tim Hardaway
five splitting an Eastern Conference
Jr. in a draft-night trade. Though
Player of the Month award.
it won’t be easy to replace Carroll,
the combination of Holiday, Thabo
Atlanta’s magical season took
Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore should
a nosedive in the playoffs, proving
at least be adequate, particularly with
to be no match for the Cleveland
the other four starters returning.
Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference
Finals. The fears of Atlanta skeptics
In all likelihood, another 19appeared to be coming true: Given
game win streak isn’t in the cards
extensive time to scout the team’s
for Atlanta this coming season, but
system, opponents weren’t as fooled
forecasting their demise may be
by the complex sets that often
premature. Barring catastrophic
resulted in Kyle Korver receiving a
injuries, the Hawks should still be
good for at least 45 to 50 wins and a
playoff spot, as they have a reasonable
amount of depth at each position.
They might not be the top Eastern
threat to Cleveland like they were in
2014-15, but they’re still solidly in
the second tier of Eastern Conference
contenders.
If things go south for Atlanta,
however, there’s always the chance
of a major mid-season shakeup.
Al Horford is set to become an
unrestricted free agent following the
2015-16 campaign, while Splitter, Jeff
Teague, Kyle Korver, Sefolosha, Mike
Scott, Shelvin Mack, Holiday and
Mike Muscala will all be unrestricted
free agents in the summer of 2017.
Ideally, the Hawks will pick up
where they left off last season, but
their flexible financial future opens
the door for a change in franchise
direction at a moment’s notice.
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