But here in Year One of the Young-Murray backcourt combo, the Hawks figure to be in the mix with the second tier. They simply lack the firepower and muscle of those contenders who are angling for East supremacy. The competition in the East will be fierce and it’s very questionable whether the Hawks are a top-six team in that regard. It’ll help if swingman De’Andre Hunter, held to 53 games last year because of injury, becomes the high-level defender the Hawks projected for him. Too often last season, the Hawks fell apart defensively, especially in the moment of truth, and have yet to exhibit a consistent defensive mindset under McMillan. But the rest of the club needs to take its cue from Murray. Will the Hawks finally embrace defense? With Murray aboard, Atlanta has its defensive backbone. It could be a make-or-break season for coach Nate McMillan if Atlanta finds itself fighting for dear life in the Play-In Tournament again. John Collins and a few others must get back on the growth track. The rest of the pieces must fall in line, and the Hawks, like every team, must avoid injuries to those in the meat of the rotation. The biggest, by far, was adding Dejounte Murray and pairing him with Young and creating what could be the league’s most balanced backcourt in terms of offensive firepower (Young) and sticky defense (Murray). Such was the case for the Hawks, who reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2021 with a young squad only to flounder last season and barely squeeze back into the playoffs.Īt least Trae Young continues to be exactly what the Hawks need - a franchise player with flair and bankability - and the club maintained enough flexibility to make changes. ![]() Sometimes the drive to prosperity and respect hits a pothole and a realignment is necessary. The Hawks made a big splash this summer with the addition of Dejounte Murray (far left).
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