Why Atlanta Hawks Should Worry About Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers changed the Eastern Conference landscape by trading for All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. Here is what it means for the Atlanta Hawks.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Yesterday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski kicked off the month of September with a seismic 'Woj bomb.' 

The Utah Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three unprotected first-round picks, and two pick swaps. 

The blockbuster trade shook up the NBA and reshaped the Eastern Conference less than one month ahead of the 2022-23 NBA Preseason. 

How the Cavaliers Compare to the Hawks

Caris LeVert celebrating during the first quarter of the 2022 Play-In game versus the Hawks / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

After acquiring Mitchell, the Cavaliers now have three All-Stars (including Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen) on their roster. Not to mention 21-year-old Evan Mobley, who was the runner-up for the 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Last season, the Cavaliers had the fifth-best defensive rating, and their 20th-ranked offense just got supercharged with a player who has averaged roughly 24 points and 5 assists per game throughout his career.

The Cavaliers trade drew immediate comparisons to the Atlanta Hawks' move in late June, which netted them All-Star guard Dejounte Murray. The two teams faced each other in the 2022 Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament, and if not for a heroic second-half performance by Trae Young, the Hawks would have missed the Playoffs.

Yesterday's trade is another reminder that the NBA is never stagnant. It's an arms race. Cleveland's front office plunged into the luxury tax in an attempt to hop off the treadmill of mediocrity. Every single Eastern Conference contender except for the Miami Heat improved this summer.

Can the Hawks Make Any Moves?

Hawks team governor Tony Ressler speaks to team president Travis Schlenk and general manager Landry Fields / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Hawks roster currently has 14 players on full contracts and two players on two-way contracts. The team sits just $1.8 million above the salary cap. NBA teams can carry 14 or 15 players on their roster. But the roster does not need any more additions at this time.

They have an All-NBA point guard in Young, who has spent the entire offseason preparing to accommodate Murray. Overall, the Hawks had a great offseason which warrants good grades.

Team president Travis Schlenk and general manager Landry Fields have a clear vision. They want to position the Hawks to contend while maintaining some flexibility. 

Atlanta's front office will not let the Cavaliers' moves dictate their plans. The Jazz are hosting a firesale, but the Hawks are not going to pursue a player like Jordan Clarkson or Bojan Bogdanovic in an attempt to counter yesterday's move. 

What Should the Hawks Do Now?

Trae Young standing beside Nate McMillan during a game in the 2021-22 season / © Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The time for scouring the league is over. Now is a time to look inward. Will the new role players prove capable before the trade deadline? Will the lengthy offseason give returning players like Clint Capela and De'Andre Hunter the time required to get right physically? Can Nate McMillan and his coaching staff make the sum of the roster greater than its individual parts?

Another fair question is if the Hawks should be worried. Yes. I hope yesterday's trade makes them uncomfortable. Last season the Hawks slept-walk through the regular season like they were the 2002-03 Los Angeles Lakers. It took a historic season from Young to drag the team to the postseason just one year after making the Eastern Conference Finals.

The roster is fine for right now. The organization should be focused on building a system for internal development and creating a culture that can withstand any Woj bomb.

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