Fansided

NBA Season Preview 2017-18: One reason every team will crash and burn

By Matt Rutkowski

ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 12: LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT
ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 12: LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT /
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ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 26: General Manager Travis Schlenk of the Atlanta Hawks introduces new draft picks John Collins, Tyler Dorsey, and Alpha Kaba during a Press Conference on June 26, 2017 at Fox Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 26: General Manager Travis Schlenk of the Atlanta Hawks introduces new draft picks John Collins, Tyler Dorsey, and Alpha Kaba during a Press Conference on June 26, 2017 at Fox Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

30. Atlanta Hawks

Alphabetical order can let you down sometimes. This was mainly meant to be an exercise in future tense, but the Hawks are already well under way. Three years ago, the Atlanta Hawks went to the Eastern Conference Finals as the number one seed. This year, none of the starters from that team remain.

DeMarre Carroll left first. The Hawks received nothing but cap space in return. He decided to flee the country. That was smart. He came back to go to the Nets. That wasn’t.

Jeff Teague was made to leave. The Hawks received Taurean Prince in return. They also wanted more room for Denis Schroeder’s touches. So it goes.

Al Horford left. The Hawks received nothing but cap space in return. Dwight Howard was signed to fill the gap. His salary was then dumped in order to receive a player with more money due. Dwight Howard is now gap filler, and not a good one.

Kyle Korver was made to leave. The Hawks received Mike Dunleavy, Mo Williams, and a protected first in return. Dunleavy played above expectations on a team that shouldn’t have any. That’s not much.

Paul Millsap left. The Hawks received an incredible amount of ennui and also cap space.

How do the Hawks crash and burn? Well, that’s hard. The crash has already occurred. The burning is pretty much done as well. Right now the landscape in Atlanta is like that scene in the Lion King after Pride Rock burns to bits but before the rain regrows the world into its beautiful new itself. Just a barren, wet landscape of regret and talking animals.