ESPN League Pass Rankings: Where Do the Hawks Land?
One of the things that I look forward to each year is when ESPN's Zach Lowe does his annual league pass rankings. They are not power rankings of each team, but more of a watchbility ranking of the teams around the NBA.
Here is how Lowe explains it and how he ranks the teams:
"They are watchability ratings derived from a secret algorithm Bill Simmons found scrawled on beer-soaked parchment paper under his seat at the old Boston Garden.
Here is how Lowe scores the teams:
Zeitgeist: Do normal people care about this team?
Highlight potential: Should you linger in case some passing savant or outrageous leaper uncorks something you might never see again?
Strategy/style: Are they fun to watch? This is where coaching factors in.
League Pass minutia: Announcers, uniforms, courts.
Unintentional comedy: Blame Simmons.
So where are the Hawks?
Atlanta almost made the top half of the league, coming in at 17th in the league pass ratings. Lowe gave the Hawks a 29.5 rating and here is what he had to say about Atlanta:
"For a team that ranked sixth in dunks and boasted two dynamic guards, the Hawks were pretty blah to watch. On some nights, their offense was an endless "your turn, my turn" reel of Young and Dejounte Murray lofting floaters in the pick-and-roll. They are graceful shot-makers, but at some point you've seen the movie enough times.
Quin Snyder offers the unknown of reinvention. (He's also sporting glasses with bright red frames, an audacious choice. Snyder already made elite, cartoonishly strained faces; the glasses ratchet it to another level.)
The assumption was Snyder would have the Hawks jacking tons more 3s. Wrong -- at least last season. Snyder instead shoved Atlanta's offense inward to the rim, in part by allowing more players to crash the glass. Atlanta shot from 18th to second in offensive rebounding rate after Snyder took over. Was that a blip, or does Snyder see something?
He will push Young and Murray to move more away from the ball and play off each other. This might be a make-or-break season for Young, Murray, and this entire construction of the Hawks.
Young is a show -- liable to erupt from the logo, a wizardly passer with either hand. De'Andre Hunter and Saddiq Bey carry reputations much bigger than their (average) production; is this the year that changes?
Bogdan Bogdanovic can swing games with his shooting; how often will Snyder play him alongside both Young and Murray -- or (gulp) even close games with Bogdanovic in place of one of them? Jalen Johnson is a blur of productive activity. If his 3-pointer comes around, watch out. It is car-crash riveting watching Garrison Mathews fling himself into picks hoping to draw illegal screen calls.
The art and sounds -- including the screeching hawk noise -- are first rate. (Keep an eye out for the Hawks' City Edition uniforms and court. They're nice.)"
I like that Lowe mentioned Jalen Johnson, who I think is in for a breakout season, and that Atlanta might be shooting more threes this season, which I talked about something that I noticed.
I think something that also makes the Hawks really intriguing is their center duo and the fact that Onyeka Okongwu seems to be willing to take more three-pointers, which would be an intriguing development.
With a full offseason to be coached by Quin Snyder, I think there is going to be plenty of intrigue to how the Hawks play this season and how some of the pieces of this team fit together. Johnson should be in line to be one of the top guys off the bench, A.J. Griffin could take a leap in year two, Saddiq Bey should be more comfortable on this team after a full offseason to work with them after being acquired at the trade deadline last season.
Also, the Hawks have the best announcing tandem in the NBA with Bob Rathbun and legend Dominique Wilkins, so that is one are where the Hawks should have gotten a great score.
The Grizzlies, the Hornets, and the Spurs came in just right ahead of the Hawks. I agree that Zion Williamson and Victor Wembanyama are going to make the Spurs and Pelicans must-watch teams, but I would have the Hornets behind the Hawks.
Atlanta wrapped up their preseason Friday in Philadelphia and begins their regular season on Wednesday at Charlotte.
Be sure to tune into AllHawks.com for the latest coverage
Follow Jackson on Twitter: @jacksoncaudell
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