Winners and losers of the NBA’s plan to restart the 2019-20 season
By Ian Levy
Loser: Atlanta Hawks
At no point this season were the Hawks a real threat to make the playoffs. Their campaign was all about growth, building chemistry and assessing the potential of rookies De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish. Because of John Collins’ suspension for a positive human growth hormone test, Atlanta only got the chance to see him and Young together for 41 games this year. A late-season surge by Reddish was also interrupted and they barely got a chance to start integrating Clint Capela after acquiring him at the trade deadline.
In an appearance on ESPN’s The Jump, Hawks’ coach Lloyd Pierce made clear that he wanted the Hawks to keep playing, saying “If the season is going to resume and we’re still not a part of it, it hurts our growth, it hurts our product, it hurts our ability to continue the momentum that we need going into next season.”
The Hawks won’t be a part of the resumed season in Orlando, their momentum will have fully dissipated and they’ll be trying to rebuild it in whatever structure the NBA is able to put together for summer league and training camps.