National NBA Analyst Describes The Atlanta Hawks Offseason In One Sentence

Atlanta drafted Zaccharie Risacher with the first pick and traded Dejounte Murray this offseason

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) dribbles the ball against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) during the first half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Hawks were looked at as one of the most interesting teams when entering this offseason and they have lived up to that. Atlanta shocked the world by winning the NBA Draft Lottery in May then they selected French forward Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick. The Hawks made the inevitable move of trading Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance, E.J. Liddell, Cody Zeller, and two first-round picks. Atlanta restructured their roster around Trae Young and will hope that it can get them back into the playoff hunt. The Hawks might not be done this offseason either, as they still have roster decisions to make.

When describing each NBA team's offseason in one sentence, this is how Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley described the Hawks:

"It feels entirely appropriate that the Hawks, who are kind of the NBA's embodiment of ho-hum, would strike draft lottery gold in a year without a jackpot-prize prospect at the top.

Maybe No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher will exceed expectations, but hopes aren't super high for him becoming a cornerstone talent. B/R's draft expert Jonathan Wasserman, for instance, comped Risacher to Harrison Barnes, a solid player but nowhere near a star.

The Hawks carried two stars into this offseason, but they're only leaving it with one (assuming they're done dealing). They shipped Dejounte Murray to New Orleans for a package built around two future first-round picks, Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr., but Trae Young remains despite loud trade chatter around him at certain points this summer.

The Hawks might be willing to make more significant subtractions if the San Antonio Spurs didn't control their next three first-round picks. That has the Hawks stuck on the loading screen. They look decent, which is about the last thing teams want to be in a league where the biggest rewards go to those on the extreme edges of the competitiveness scale."

I think the Hawks have had a good offseason and the roster around Young makes a lot more sense than the previous two seasons. Will that result in more wins? That is tough to say because the Eastern Conference is really good. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Orlando, Indiana, and Miami are the teams that Atlanta will be competing against to get into the top eight of the standings.

What this upcoming Hawks season might be dependent on is the development and growth of the players around Young. Jalen Johnson might have won the Most Improved Player Award last season if he had stayed healthy and he looks like he could be a future All-Star. If Johnson can make the necessary leaps on both ends of the floor, the ceiling of the Hawks goes up considerably.

It is not just Johnson though. While Risacher is not as hyped as other No. 1 picks in the past, he has the ability to help the Hawks sooner rather than later. Coming into the draft, he was lauded for his shooting ability, his size, and his defense. Risacher has struggled to shoot the ball so far in Summer League, but the other parts of his game have been as advertised. Atlanta does not need Risacher to be an All-Star in year one, but for them to go over this win total, he will need to provide scoring and versatility on the defensive end.

What are the Hawks going to do at the center position? Currently, the Hawks have Clint Capela, Onyeka Okongwu, Larry Nance, Bruno Fernando, and Cody Zeller. Atlanta is unlikely to carry all five players on the roster and needs to decide what to do. Do they keep Capela and have him and Okongwu be the center tandem again? Do the Hawks move Capela and finally make Okongwu the starter, with Nance the likely backup? Whatever they decide to do, either Capela or Okongwu is likely going to be the starter this season.

Bogdan Bogdanovic is going to be one of the best players on the Hawks and there is not a lot I can say about him. He should have won 6th Man of the Year last season and will be one of the best players on the Hawks again this season.

Kobe Bufkin and De'Andre Hunter (if he is still on the team) are two other players who could swing the season for the Hawks. Bufkin might be relied upon as the backup point guard on the team, but he has struggled staying healthy and this would be a big role for him. Hunter was good when he came off the bench last season and I am interested to see if Quin Snyder does that this season.