THE NBA The NBA is currently in the quiet part of its schedule. Sure, the schedule was just released, but most eyes in the sports world are on the upcoming football season. The NBA will begin training camp in the coming month, and then the ramp-up to the 2024-25 season will begin.
With the schedule now known and no major trades expected before the trade deadline in February, it’s time to start thinking about how each team will look this season and where they fit in.
The Hawks are one of the most interesting teams in terms of projection. They traded Dejounte Murray this offseason and added players like Zaccharie Risacher And Dyson Danielswhich should help their size and defense. If young players like Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu step up, this could be a potential playoff team. Their win total at most sportsbooks is 35.5 right now, and Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report gave his early projections on what the Hawks’ record could be:
“The Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young-Dejounte Murray split might be enough to make them a little better. Last season, they were comfortably better when Young was on the court without Murray, and getting Trae back on the offense should pay dividends.
But Atlanta is also at least in a transition phase. It should give 2024 first-round pick Zaccharie Risacher plenty of development time. Jalen Johnson had a bit of a breakout last season, but he’s just 22 and has a ways to go before he reaches his peak.
Straddling two schedules has worked for some teams. And to the extent that it helps them get past that ratio, it will work for the Hawks, too. But it still feels like they’re a year or two away from a guaranteed playoff spot.
Bailey helped the Hawks finish 38-44, a record that would likely put them in ninth or 10th place in the Eastern Conference.
I think the Hawks’ season will come down to the impact of new acquisitions like Risacher and Daniels and how big of a jump Jalen Johnson makes. If Johnson takes a big step toward becoming an All-Star caliber player, Risacher If Johnson is a player who provides useful minutes on defense and as a shooter, and Daniels is an All-NBA level defender while providing space on offense, this team could surprise. That’s a lot of ifs and that’s why the win-loss projection is low. There’s a worst-case scenario where Johnson is still a good player but doesn’t take a big step forward, Risacher isn’t ready to provide useful minutes, and Daniels doesn’t progress offensively. The Hawks could also benefit from a little more injury luck this year. While the Hawks had a lot of issues last year, staying healthy was one of them. A little more injury luck could go a long way.
