This next performance will tell us something.
It doesn’t matter that nobody expects the Hawks to win the NBA title and that few expect them to win even this opening-round playoff series against Indiana. How a bunch of players (and coaches) with expiring contracts react in Game 2 and for the remainder of this series could indicate a lot about the future.
They’re down 1-0. How much do they care? How hard do they play? How do they react in pressure situations in late April, which are far greater than pressure situations in December? Are they focused on a game or thinking about their next contract?
As a veteran, DeShawn Stevenson said he is used to this sort of thing. He has played without a safety net. But he added, “This is a tryout for everybody. A lot of people have expiring contacts — coaches, everybody. But at the same time, we just have to go out there and play our game. The hardest part will be taken care of.”
Hawks coach Larry Drew is in the final year of his contract. Josh Smith and Devin Harris are in the final years of their respective contracts. This team actually has only three players (Al Horford, rookie John Jenkins and the injured Lou Williams) definitely under contract for next season, so to suggest there’s some uncertainty about the future would be an understatement.
Now, it’s true that has been the case all season. The Hawks, despite injuries and shortcomings, still managed to win 44 games and make the playoffs, something many didn’t expect in the first year of general manager Danny Ferry’s makeover. But there is a realness to the situation that hits in the playoffs. The stakes are higher. The end is closer. Players react differently.
With the Hawks coming off a shaky performance at Indiana in Game 1, there is interest in how players respond, whether they fight through adversity or look distracted (as was the case Sunday). The players who appear emotionally tougher and certainly more focused obviously will score points with the front office.
Neither Drew nor Ferry prefer entertaining questions about the future right now. Understandable. The Hawks not only are in the playoffs, they still believe they can win this series. Win the next game and, theoretically, they’re in control if they hold serve at home. There’s also a significant biggest positive to hang on: Despite so much going wrong Sunday, it was still an eight-point game in the fourth quarter. (The flip side, of course, being that so much went wrong and maybe that continues.)
“We’re focused on the present,” Drew said the other day. “We don’t know what the future holds, not even me. My situation is no different than (players’). We’re going to live for the moment.”
Ferry had similar sentiments — except the part about not knowing his future. (He’s secure.)
“We are in a playoff mode now,” he said. “Attention to detail and emotional control become more important. We have talked to our group about handling the highs and lows of a series. This plays a big role in playoff success. This is an experienced group of players capable handling this type of challenge.”
The Hawks’ key free agents after this season are Josh Smith, Devin Harris, Zaza Pachulia and Kyle Korver.
In addition to having Horford, Williams and Jenkins under contract, they can retain the rights to Jeff Teague and Ivan Johnson with qualifying offers. They also hold club options on Stevenson, Mike Scott and Shelvin Mack.
So Ferry has no shortage of decisions. He has the payroll flexibility to pursue high-profile free agents (Dwight Howard, Chris Paul) or take on salary in a trade. But ideally, he would like to identify some players on this roster to keep.
In Game 2, maybe that starts with a punch in the face. The Hawks didn’t react well to Indiana’s physical play in the opener. They were outworked for loose balls and rebounds.
When asked if some bodies might hit the floor in the next game, Stevenson laughed and said, “Got to. You don’t want hurt nobody, but there’s got to be some bodies on the floor.”
There’s one option Ferry might want to pick up.
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