Hawks projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
The Atlanta Hawks finished the season 41-41. Ever since Trae Young's Herculean run to the conference finals in 2021, the Hawks have been slowly fading out of contention. Last summer's trade for Dejounte Murray was supposed to be a revival, but their record got worse.
As the season spiraled into oblivion, the Hawks underwent a series of questionable personnel changes in the front office. Former players Landry Fields and Kyle Korver were elevated to the roles of GM and assistant GM, respectively, while Travis Schlenk, the team's president, moved to an advisory role. Nate McMillan was also fired midseason, with Quin Snyder tabbed as his replacement at head coach.
Snyder is the right man for the job. Synder essentially led the Jazz to perinnial home-court advantage during the Mitchell and Gobert era. His crafty offensive strategies are well-suited to a team built around Trae Young, and he knows how to get the most out of a quality rim protector, a la Clint Capela.
That said, the front office continues to operate without a distinct and well-defined goal. The John Collins trade was a salary dump, long overdue, but it didn't make the team better. The Hawks sent out several first-round picks for Murray (and gave him a $114 million extension), but have since pivoted toward youth and cheaped out on the margins.
Atlanta is in win-now mode and tax-evasion mode at the same time, which is never a good mix. If the front office (read: ownership) isn't willing to fully commit to a roster built around Trae Young, then maybe a full tear-down is the right move. But, you rebuild with hopes of unearthing prospects as good as Trae Young, who is still 24 years old with a conference finals appearance on his resume. The Hawks should be trying to make this work, but it's hard to have faith in the current management structure.
Even so... Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Clint Capela. There's real talent with real experience on the roster. Here's what Quin Snyder is working with rotationally.
Atlanta Hawks starting point guard: Trae Young
At this point, the pendulum has swung too far on Trae Young in the court of public opinion. His reputation has caved completely since his conference finals run in 2021, but he still averaged 26.2 points and 10.2 assists on 57.3 TS% last season. He did so, yes, at 24 years old. Young is still on the upswing, with room to grow and improve with the team around him. The Hawks should have no qualms about Young as a foundational piece.
That said, the flaws are well-documented for a reason. It's hard for tiny guards to hold up in the playoffs. Young is listed at 6-foot-1 and 164 pounds, which at times feels generous. Smart offenses will target him relentlessly. The dumb ones will, too. The Hawks need to actively hide Young on the defensive end, which is a limiting factor.
The offensive end is far more positive. Young gets a little trigger-happy from long range, but frankly, that's part of his brilliance. Young forces the defense to commit full attention to him as soon as he steps across the halfcourt line. Young has pull-up range that rivals Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard. Add a quick first step, some of the best handles in the league, and Young's trademark floater, and you have one of the most potent scorers in the NBA. And that's all without taking his passing into consideration.
Young is still on the shortlist of best passers in the NBA. Few playmakers challenge Young's creativity with the ball in hand. He can make every pass in the book, with either hand, and he's unafraid of threading the needle through infinitesimal spaces. Young passes teammates open on the regular and understands how to leverage his scoring presence out of pick-and-rolls to create advantages for others. There are natural turnover problems with any guard who shoulders Young's workload, but he's a top-10 offensive player in the NBA. It's the defense that holds him back.
Primary backup point guard: Dejounte Murray
Dejounte Murray averaged 9.2 assists per game in his last season with the Spurs. He's a point guard at heart, best with the ball in his hands. That has made the fit with Young a bit problematic at times, but it also makes backup point guard a non-concern. The Hawks can stagger lineups and keep one elite playmaker on the floor at all times.
Other players who could receive minutes at point guard: Patty Mills, Kobe Bufkin, Bogdan Bogdanovic