It’s time for the Hawks to completely turn the page on last season. The 60 wins, one of several franchise marks set by the team last year, are history. They offer something to build on from a season that ended in a sweep by the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
As the Hawks open training camp with media day Monday for the 2015-16 season there are a couple of questions to be answered before the regular-season opener Oct. 27.
Who will start at small forward?
DeMarre Carroll is gone. He turned two very productive seasons with the Hawks into a big contract with the Raptors. There is one starting position open.
Coach Mike Budenholzer has said Thabo Sefolosha will be the player he first looks to in the role. However, Sefolosha is coming off a serious injury of a broken right leg and ligament damage. He has been cleared for some basketball activities and will be brought along slowly. Sefolosha has battled other injuries in his career. Before the season-ending injury in April, Sefolosha missed nearly two months with a right calf strain. Also missed considerable time with a left calf strain with the Thunder.
Behind Sefolosha is Kent Bazemore. It’s a big season for Bazemore, the final of the two-year deal he signed with the Hawks. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Bazemore made major strides in improving his overall game last season, going as far as to reconstruct his jump shot. He could position himself to get a new contract and assume the small forward spot in the future.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mike Scott may see some time at small forward. Lamar Patterson and Terran Petteway will be competing for the lone open roster spot and could be in the mix. Once the exhibition season begins, there will be a better idea of where Sefolosha is health-wise and what the rotation will look like.
Will the Hawks fill the one available roster spot?
The Hawks enter camp with 13 players with guaranteed contracts. Mike Muscala has a partially guaranteed deal, but he is a lock to remain. That leaves one spot that the Hawks may or may not choose to fill. In the past, the team has valued the flexibility of the available spot. Patterson, a second-round pick, and Petteway, an undrafted free agent, pleased Hawks coaches and management with their play at the summer league and in voluntary workouts. One may force the Hawks’ hand. If they don’t make the team, the Hawks lose their rights. They would become free agents and could sign with another team and, perhaps, be assigned to an NBA Development League affiliate. Here is where the Hawks’ lack of a D-League franchise hurts them. The Hawks may choose to keep a 15th player for depth on the wing should Sefolosha not be fully ready for the start of the season.
Will Mike Scott bounce back from on- and off-court issues?
Mike Scott had a down season last season, especially in the playoffs. Scott’s season averages fell in scoring, rebounding and minutes played. In the postseason, he averaged only 4.5 points per game. He especially struggled from 3-point range, where he made only 4 of 26 attempts. Scott was arrested during the summer and faces felony drug charges. A trial date has not been set as the Banks County prosecutor awaits independent drug tests. With the season starting, the case will surely be a distraction. Scott could also face jail time and a certain lengthy suspension by the NBA. Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said he has spoken to Scott and that the forward is in a good place mentally. Still, this will be a big season to determine whether Scott will be part of the Hawks’ future plans.
Will the draft-night decision pay off?
The Hawks made a bold move on draft night by essentially trading the No. 15 overall pick for Tim Hardaway Jr. They traded an unknown for a (somewhat) known. Hardaway spent two seasons with the Knicks and averaged 10.2 and 11.5 points per game. The Hawks hope he will step in and be productive right away — as opposed of a mid-first round player. The Hawks love the way Hardaway can shoot even as a wrist injury slowed him this offseason. The season could help determine if Hardaway is the heir apparent to Kyle Korver at shooting guard.
What will be the big-man rotation?
Al Horford and Paul Millsap will return at center and power forward, respectively. Tiago Splitter will come off the bench as a more traditional center. The Hawks will carry one less big man this year with Muscala available to play center or sometimes power forward. That leaves Edy Tavares available to play center. The 7-foot-3 Tavares is still raw and still learning. He is making strides and his intriguing ability to protect the rim will get a look during training camp. It’s likely Tavares will see a lot of time in D-League assignments, such as with the Austin Spurs, to continue his development.
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