The Hawks’ future will be determined by more than their All-Star backcourt.
It’s fair to assume that the Hawks, as currently constructed, should be better than last season. That’s good enough to make the playoffs, but probably short of competing with the Celtics and the Bucks.
In the NBA, the middle is known as the worst place to be. But the Hawks aren’t necessarily stuck. Beyond trades, their avenue to contention goes through their youth. We know what guards Trae Young and Dejounte Murray are; there are questions about what AJ Griffin, Onyeka Okongwu, Jalen Johnson and Kobe Bufkin can become.
“I’m excited about seeing them play,” Young said. “They’re going to play a lot more minutes for us. We’re a young team again. Guys are going to have to step up and play a lot of minutes, but we can use that to our advantage. Play fast, play scrappy, rebound, offensive glass; there’s a lot of things we can do and use to our advantage with having Jalen, AJ, Kobe, these young guys out there playing a lot of minutes for us.”
The youngsters are crucial to whether the Hawks become a legitimate threat in the coming years. The team has limited draft capital to trade. It’s mostly maxed out salary-wise (and the Hawks aren’t exactly willing to splurge like Warriors owner Joe Lacob).
Sure, the team could try a top-heavy approach and go get someone like Toronto’s Pascal Siakam, in whom they reportedly had interest, but if you’re following that blueprint, your best players must be surefire championship quality. It hasn’t been proved that the Young-Murray duo is capable of that yet. It’s hard to say a player Siakam’s level would change their fortune.
The Hawks aren’t quite at a crossroads, especially after inking Murray to an extension over the summer, but they are at an important point to determine the franchise’s outlook. Either the youth blossoms and raises the team’s ceiling, or the youth stagnates (or falters) and the team remains stuck in the dreaded middle. The young players showing promise also would expand trade possibilities, should the Hawks favor that route.
Whatever the direction, the youth will decide if the Hawks can get where they want to go.
“We have a lot of young guys; even our old guys are young guys,” coach Quin Snyder said. “That internal development has been a focus for us. Any time you have a young player who gets an opportunity to play, that’s part of that process. Playing, competing, working, seeing and feeling where you need to get better rather than just being told that. Go compete and get that feedback.”
Each player serves a different role. Griffin, only 20 years old, played 20 minutes per game last season and shot 39% on 3-pointers, showing an instant-impact skill that kept him on the floor (“I got to play a lot my first year, and it’s helped me grow fast,” he said). The Hawks were an average 3-point shooting team (around 35%), and Griffin gave them another needed sharpshooter. He showed early he knew what to manipulate defenses and his off-ball ability brought a needed element to this offense, especially with its ball-dominant star guards.
“(His shooting) is very valuable,” Young said. “Shooting is one of the most valuable keys in today’s game. AJ brings a lot to our team, but shooting is definitely one of the (better) things he brings.”
Griffin told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he already notices a huge gap, comfort-wise, between his rookie and second seasons. He thinks he’s made strides on defense, too. “I had a couple steals last game, and it just feels good being in the right spot at the right time,” Griffin said. “It’s knowing where to be and executing on that play.”
Okongwu’s development has a domino effect. The 22-year-old could make starting center Clint Capela more expendable – there already have been rumors about the Hawks moving him – and Capela’s $20 million salary this season also helps in matching money for a bigger deal. Capela is a free agent after next season. But in the meantime, a Capela-Okongwu duo is among the better center combinations in the NBA.
Johnson, 21, is competing for a starting forward role with Saddiq Bey, who despite being 24 feels like a veteran on the team. Johnson offers defense and rebounding – his shot will decide how impactful he can be. He’s shot 28% on 3′s in 92 career games.
“That’s an athlete right there,” Griffin said about his fellow Duke product. “He’s been working on his shot, too. A lot of guys have seen him putting in that work. He’s already special, but just having that shot now makes him even more special. It’s exciting to see, at such a young age, how he’s able to affect the game on both ends.”
Bufkin, 19, is a wild card. He’s worked as the Hawks’ backup point guard during the preseason, and there’s logic behind playing him early and seeing what he provides. He averaged 14 points per game over 33 games at Michigan during his sophomore year. He shot nearly 36% on 3-pointers, at 3.7 attempts per game.
The Hawks have a strong guard trio in Young, Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic, plus veteran Patty Mills. So they won’t be overly reliant on Bufkin, which will allow him to grow at his natural pace. It also means there will be competition for minutes.
“It’s always good to have veteran guys that you can learn from, which is the case (with Bufkin),” Snyder said. “Then there’s also opportunities (for young guys to play) with our group. Because we have some depth, sometimes it’s hard for guys to get on the floor at times. It’s a little bit of both (good and bad).”
The season tips off Wednesday. Then the next evaluation period for these players begins.
“To have that young core already, it’s something unique,” Griffin said. “We get to see each other’s game grow each year. I’m never taking it for granted. It’s enjoyable every day seeing us work out together and push each other. The practices are really competitive, and that’s a fun part.”
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