So yeah, this is a transition year for the Hawks, but at this point I'm not sure where they're going or how they're going to get there. If I'm a contender and I feel like my team is close enough, I take a mighty big swing on Sap. I don't care that he can get out of his deal after this season.
#ATLANTA HAWKS ROSTER 2016 SERIES#
A dude like that could mean legitimately swing a playoff series or two. If things go real poorly, Millsap has to be the most attractive trade target in the league, excepting perhaps Russell Westbrook or DeMarcus Cousins if their situations go sideways.įLANNERY: I would trade so many assets for Millsap. Maybe Schroder unleashed will prove us wrong. But the individual moves do matter, and I'm just not sure they were good moves for this team. ZILLER: I can't fault them for bailing a year too early, especially since the last edition (starring Joe Johnson and Josh Smith) probably stayed together a year too long. So, a philosophical question: Is it better to get out a year too soon, or ride something out to the bitter end, knowing it will be better than your present situation? But this team isn't any closer and I don't think it will be as good as the one we've seen the last two years. We owe them a year or two to figure things out. They were never beating the Cavs with that roster. Yeah, I think they'll make it and I totally understand why they decided to shake things up. Where are you at in that respect?įLANNERY: And they tried to trade Millsap! It wasn't that long ago.Īll these factors make me think Atlanta is still a playoff team in the East. But he was excellent when healthy in 2014-15 for a good Houston team. Last year didn't go well from the beginning, and Howard owns some portion of the blame as a veteran who ought to be able to lead.
It was a little over a year ago that he - not James Harden, but Howard - was at the center of an epic comeback over the elite Clippers. Peachtree Hoops season previewĪnd Howard, for all of his faults, still impacts the game in key areas. Millsap's maybe the most underrated player (by fans) in the league. Still, Schroder is exciting and Jarrett Jack will back him up. By signing Dwight and losing Horford, you're putting a lot on Paul Millsap's shoulders. If you choose Schroder and invest heavily in Bazemore, I feel like you balance that by making sure you keep your veteran leadership in place. ZILLER: I can't imagine this was the plan: choose the younger, less polished point guard, but swap out the steady defensive mastermind center for a high-risk, high-reward eccentric version. You're taking away one of the most respected veteran leaders for Dwight's candy store.īud is a terrific coach, but I don't see this working. It's hard to call this an upgrade, especially in the locker room. In a vacuum, I still think Howard can contribute to a good team, but swapping Horford for Howard made sense in, like, 2011. Getting a first-round pick for JT is fine, even if it doesn't translate well this season or even next. They had a decision to make and they went with Dennis Schroder. I get breaking up a core that topped out at 60 wins and zero against the Cavs in two playoff appearances. that's a weird offseason, right? Is the mystique of the Mike Budenholzer Hawks gone?įLANNERY: The pace-and-space Hawks are dead. Those two decisions - Howard in lieu of Horford, and Teague for a rookie - combined with retaining Kent Bazemore at a huge salary. They didn't throw everything at Al Horford - he ended up joining a rival the Hawks had beaten in the first round - but signed Dwight Howard and flipped Jeff Teague for the pick that became Taurean Prince. Given that, I understand the reset Atlanta pursued in the offseason. What followed was another playoff skunking at the hands of the Cavaliers.
ZILLER: The Hawks slipped considerably in the standings last season, ending up in that four-team tie for third place.
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