The Atlanta Hawks’ success in this 2024-2025 campaign has been a surprise to everyone but the team itself.
The offseason started with a much-needed boom for the Hawks. Early in the offseason, the Hawks surprisingly won the NBA Draft Lottery, giving them the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft despite only having a three percent chance to win. After much discussion, the Hawks chose French power forward, 19-year-old Zaccharie Risacher over the likes of centers Alex Sarr and Donovan Clingan with the number one overall pick. The selection aimed to pair star point guard Trae Young with a complementary three-and-D wing.
Just days after selecting Risacher, General Manager Landry Fields sent shockwaves across the NBA world, sending guard Dejounte Murray to New Orleans in exchange for guard Dyson Daniels and forward Larry Nance Jr. alongside draft compensation. Immediately, fans worried that trading a 22-point-per-game scorer for a young, raw prospect, an older veteran and draft picks could be a sign of tanking, and that the Hawks had given up on the upcoming year already. In reality, Fields made this calculated move to focus heavily on the defensive side of the ball and pair Young with players that make up for his weaknesses.
Since drafting Young in 2018, the Hawks have always had an incredible scorer and facilitator running the offense, but Young’s undersized nature left him as a defensive liability. When Murray was first acquired from the San Antonio Spurs, fans believed he was the answer to the problem, but what the Hawks truly needed was defenders who could space the floor and take the burden off of Young.
Daniels has been the glue guy that every older traditional head coach loves having on their team. Originally the 8th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft from Australia, Daniels played two years with the Pelicans before getting dealt to the Hawks in the Murray trade. Since arriving in Atlanta, Daniels has become an instant fan favorite and a key piece of the Hawks’ surprising early-season success. Besides increasing his scoring from 5.8 points per game (PPG) last year to over 13 PPG this season, Daniels leads the NBA in steals per game at 3.1, more than one steal higher than his competitor. His defensive prowess has notched him the nickname “Great Barrier Thief” and will almost certainly be on the shortlist for the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award.
Daniels is not the only piece that head coach Quin Snyder has been developing this season. Small forward Jalen Johnson has become the second leading scorer on the team, complementing Young extremely well. Johnson, the 20th overall pick in the 2021 Draft has been improving year after year. Following a breakout year last season where Johnson jumped from averaging 5.6 PPG to 16 PPG, Johnson has continued to flourish. Averaging a double-double (18 PPG and 10 rebounds per game) as well as over five assists per game, Johnson is becoming what many Hawks fans thought he could develop into.
Just past the halfway point of the season, the Hawks find themselves with a 22-23 record, standing ninth in the Eastern Conference. With the additions and development over the off-season, Young is still in the spotlight for most Hawks fans. He leads the team in both points and assists per game at 22.8 and 11.5, respectively. Young continues to be an elite playmaker, leading the NBA in assists .
The Hawks currently find themselves on a four-game skid, which is likely due to the injury issues over the past few weeks. Key players such as Johnson, small forward Deandre Hunter (who averages 18.7 points off the bench) and Risacher have been battling injuries, sidelining them for periods of games. Getting them healthy post all-star break will be paramount for the Hawks to make a run at the postseason.
Looking forward after the all-star break and into the race for the playoffs, it is integral for the Hawks to make some moves before the trade deadline if they want to feel comfortable about their postseason position. Whether or not they want to add assets to push for the postseason is up to Fields and the Hawks organization, but looking into big interior forwards may be beneficial. Currently, the Hawks have center Clint Capela and power forward Onyeka Okongwu guarding the rim down low, and while they have both played decently, gaining more height and size could be to their advantage.
Overall, for a squad picked 22nd according to ESPN’s preseason rankings, the Hawks have had a terrific beginning to the season, stoking energy into the team as well as the fanbase. With a young core as strong as Daniels, Risacher and Johnson, matched with a star like Young and a sixth man like Hunter, the excitement extends beyond what happens this season. Fields and the entire Hawks organization have seemed to finally found the magic solution for what ingredients best mix with Young.
The post Hawks Outperforming Expectations entering All-Star Break appeared first on Technique.