National Analyst Says The Hawks Still Have a Lot of Work to do This Offseason

Have the Hawks done enough to remain in the playoff hunt this offseason?

Apr 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Javonte Green (24) defends Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the second half during a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

After the Hawks's season ended with a loss to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Play-In Tournament, it was known that they were going to have to make some huge changes to their roster. The Trae Young-Dejounte Murray backcourt was not working out and the roster needed to be reshaped. With the Hawks being without their own draft picks in 2025, 2026, and 2027, it was complicating what they could do and they had to nail this upcoming draft.

Atlanta hit a stroke of luck when they landed the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, even it if was a weaker draft than usual. The Hawks chose French forward Zaccharie Risacher with the pick and then a few days later, officially broke up the Young-Murray backcourt by sending Murray to New Orleans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance, Cody Zeller, E.J. Liddell, and two first-round picks. The Hawks have not done anything major since and might be going into the season with this roster.

Has that been enough for the Hawks this offseason? Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley listed the Hawks as a team with holes still to fill this offseason:

" It made sense for the Hawks to pivot away from the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray backcourt given the lack of return on that pricey investment.

It would have made a lot more sense, though, if it was clearer what the Hawks are now pivoting toward.

Murray's exit could have sparked a mass exodus out of Atlanta with the franchise focused on finding long-term assets. That didn't happen. Young is still around, along with Clint Capela, De'Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanović and Onyeka Okongwu. Those are all solid-or-better players who presumably would drum up interest among win-now shoppers if the Hawks ever hit the rebuilding trail.

Instead, the organization once again appears trapped in the middle: too good to bottom out but not nearly good enough to contend. There isn't so much a specific hole on this roster as there is a general lack of direction."

One thing that should be pointed out is that the Hawks are still a really young team and the pieces that have now fit this team better than when they had Murray. Daniels has a chance to be a great backcourt teammate with Young and help the defense in a huge way. Risacher can help with the size and defensive issues the Hawks had last season, as well as possibly provide some high-level shooting. Atlanta needed to fix its defense and size this offseason and they have done that. I am not saying it has been a grand slam of an offseason but the Hawks have added nice pieces to their roster and should keep them in playoff contention.