ESPN's Future Power Rankings Show Lots Of Pessimisim For the Atlanta Hawks

How does the Hawks future look heading into the 2024-2025 season?

Apr 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) warms up before a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

The future is hard to predict in the NBA. Some teams future outlook looks good one year, but can change quickly. Take the Nuggets for example. After winning the title two years ago, there was talk of a potential dynasty. Fast forward to now and the Timberwolves beat them in game seven of the Western Conference Semifinals and they have lost key players such as Bruce Brown, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Jeff Green while not receiving anything in return. Now the question is did their window close around one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Minnesota is another example but in a different way. Their outlook looked bleak after the early returns of the Rudy Gobert trade, but now they have one of the best players in the NBA and are one of the favorites to win the title. Things can change year to year.

With the Hawks, it is tough to say. They have been low in past editions of ESPN's Future Power Rankings and are 23rd in the ones released today. Here is how they determined the power rankings:

"We determined that the most important category is a team's current roster and the future potential of those players. That category accounts for more than 50% of each NBA team's overall Future Power Rating, the 0-100 score each team receives to determine its overall ranking.

At the same time, we looked at many other factors such as management, ownership, coaching, a team's spending habits, its cap situation, the reputation of the city and the franchise and what kind of draft picks we expect the team to have in the future."

Here is what Bobby Marks had to say about the Hawks future:

"The Hawks picked a direction, splitting up the backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. The Murray trade to New Orleans netted Atlanta two valuable first-round picks; a 2025 first from the Lakers and a 2027 more favorable Milwaukee or New Orleans first. Despite not controlling their own first-round pick over the next three seasons as a result of acquiring Murray from San Antonio in 2022, the Hawks ranked No. 16 in draft assets. Trading Murray to New Orleans, meanwhile, removed the $114 million owed to Murray and has allowed Atlanta breathing room below the luxury tax this season."

The Hawks held good marks in money, market, and draft, but low marks for management and players.

I am interested to see if Atlanta moves up when it comes to players because they have young, but unproven talent. Jalen Johnson took a huge leap last year and a bigger one could be in store this year. They drafted Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick, Onyeka Okongwu could be the starter this year, and Dyson Daniels has two-way potential if he can improve his shooting. I have said that the Hawks ceiling this year might come down to the leap those guys make and it could have a big impact on their future outlook.