The 2024-25 NBA season is still a month away, but anticipation is building for the upcoming season. The offseason is at a standstill, with no major changes expected unless something unexpected happens. The rosters are set, and fans can start breaking down their team and trying to figure out where they’ll end up at the end of the year.
So what are the biggest questions facing the Atlanta Hawks heading into the season? I would say it’s how much their defense has improved and how much their young players like Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, Onyeka Okongwu and Kobe Bufking are capable of taking a leap forward. Bleacher Report Zach Buckley, however, thinks it’s something different:
“Trae Young has been the subject of trade rumors for over a year now. While the Hawks have yet to release the three-time All-Star, the point guard’s future with the franchise appears far from assured.
Atlanta, which traded teammate Dejounte Murray this summer, could be on the verge of a complete rebuild. The Hawks may feel like they can’t go all-in on a tight end since they don’t control their next three first-round picks, but it’s not like spending a lot of time on the treadmill of mediocrity is doing them much good.
The Hawks have quietly assembled a core of interesting young players, with Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, Kobe Bufkin and the first-round pick of the year, Zaccharie Risacher, and it may be in their best interest to shed their remaining veterans and focus on developing those players. Young has proven difficult to trade, however, so it’s possible he and the Hawks will simply be stuck with each other until a viable alternative presents itself.
I think this is a big season for Young, but I think he’s in a position to succeed and lead the team. As long as Young is the primary creator on offense, the Hawks should have a top-tier offense in the NBA, but it’s the other end of the floor that has given them problems. The addition of Dyson Daniels via the Dejounte Murray trade, the selection of Risacher, and the hope that Johnson, Okongwu, Clint Capela, and De’Andre Hunter can continue to play above-average defense. If the Hawks can improve on that end, then I think they could be a surprise team in 2024-25.
