” I really think that the ceiling for this Hawks team is 30 wins.”
E-dub (on Sports Round table Radio Show back in January)
The Atlanta Hawks finished 29-56 and as seasons go this is arguably the best 29 win season in franchise history. Yes the Hawks lost a bunch of games and their defense was much to be desired. However, the promise of what this team can possibly be in the future has Hawks fans excited about the next step.
Trae Young had an amazing rookie year and answered all questions about his durability by playing in 81 of the Hawks 82 games. Here is some sound from Trae Young after the teams final game vs the Indiana Pacers.
Moving forward the Hawks have decisions to make about the draft, free agency and what pieces they think will be the best fit to surround John Collins and Trae Young. The free agents on this years squad are: Justin Anderson (restricted), Dwayne Dedmon and Vince Carter. I have my own thoughts on the Hawks free agency so make sure you are checking out our podcast for those.
One surprise that isn’t been given enough attention was the growth and emergence of 2nd year power forward John Collins. This year he became a 20 and 10 guy and this is after a rookie campaign in which he averaged 10 points a game. His gains were sometimes lost in the whirlwind that was Trae Young mania. We talk to John after the last game of the season about this season, his personal gains and the future.
The Hawks will likely have a top 10 with their own pick and according to Tankathon.com they have a 73.7% of getting the first round pick from the Dallas Mavericks. There is so much that is still up in the air but with Coach Lloyd Pierce at the helm the Hawks are way in front of the curve.
Despite the record Coach Pierce to be a very unflappable leader for this squad. He never got to high or low emotionally and was always upfront and honest when answer questions from the media. I asked Coach Pierce what is something he takes away from this season.
“I wanted for us to have an identity and I wanted to create a culture. I think those were home runs for us. ” – Coach Lloyd Pierce
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