Will Hawks be left behind while standing pat?

By Michael Cunningham

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

With their Eastern Conference rivals either streaking or wheeling and dealing, it's possible the Hawks could be left behind as they stand still.

The Celtics and Heat recovered from early stumbles and sit one-two in the East despite injuries to key players. Orlando, the defending Southeast Division champ, responded to its first rough patch by making two major trades last weekend.

Atlanta, meanwhile, is 13-12 since its 6-0 start. Re-signing free agent Joe Johnson was the Hawks' only major move over the summer and there's no indication they believe they can or should do more to keep pace in the Eastern Conference.

General manager Rick Sund is taking the same wait-and-see approach he did prior to the start of the season.

"We've improved every year; now we will see if we can get one step closer to a championship," Sund said.

Sund and ownership indicated that's the goal when they replaced coach Mike Woodson with assistant Larry Drew after the Hawks won 53 games in 2009-10. The Magic swept Atlanta 4-0 in the East semifinals by an NBA-record margin of 101 points, and Sund considered it the kind of setback all aspiring contenders must endure.

Similarly, Drew and Sund said they've been encouraged by Atlanta's ability to stay afloat despite injuries to Johnson, starting forward Marvin Williams and reigning Sixth Man Award winner Jamal Crawford.Atlanta's schedule has been busy, too: Entering Thursday, the Hawks had played the most games in the East (31) and were tied with Cleveland for the most back-to-back sets (10).

Steve Smith, the former Hawks All-Star who is an analyst for NBA TV, said he understands why the team is committed to what he considers a "great core." But Smith said even when the Hawks are healthy he still rates them a notch below Boston, Miami, Orlando and even Chicago.

"In a one-game scenario, the Hawks still can beat any team in the league," Smith said. "In a five-game series like they used to play in my day, I still like their chances. In a seven-game series it's going to be tough."

There are reasons to believe the Hawks can be better even without considering their injuries.

The Hawks have taken to Drew's new balanced offensive approach and should be tougher to defend in the playoffs. Center Al Horford has raised his level of play after earning his first All-Star berth last season. Forward Josh Smith is better, too, and might earn his first All-Star selection .

Yet even when healthy, the Hawks still have the same weaknesses that Orlando exposed in the 2010 playoffs.

The perimeter defense remains shaky and once opponents get dribble penetration, Smith, an excellent shot blocker, is the only deterrent at the basket. There isn't much rebounding if Smith and Horford aren't doing it. The bench play has been inconsistent outside of Crawford.

The Hawks also lack size among their rotation players. Smith said the Hawks would have been better with 7-foot-1 center Shaquille O'Neal, who considered signing with them as a free agent last summer before joining the Celtics.

"He's not a guy that is going to play five more years, but he still can help you right now," Smith said.

The Hawks declined to meet O'Neal's contract demands; doing so would have pushed their payroll above the luxury-tax threshold. As long as ownership sticks with that fiscal approach (and sagging attendance suggests that it will) the team can't take on high-priced players in trades, especially in light of its recent long-term commitments to Johnson and Horford.

The Hawks haven't found value in cheaper and younger players and can't match the depth of high-payroll teams like Boston and Orlando. The Hawks, for instance, had hoped second-year guard Jeff Teague would push Bibby for his starting position and improve the team's perimeter defense, but Teague hasn't managed to crack Drew's rotation.

With no indication the Hawks are looking to make trades, they have to hope the current group can improve enough to make them true East contenders.

"Everyone has holes; there's nothing wrong with that," Smith said. "But you have to figure out a way to cover them up."