Are Hawks better next year?

[KD88]

There has been mixed reactions to our offseason so far with us getting rid of our two staples in Teague and Horford.  That said, we've been consistent with those two and if we retained both, I'm not sure anything would have changed.   

If Dwight can return to his former self, the upside is there.

[Thomas]

Don't know but it feels like there should be more balance between the paint and the perimeter. Defensively we improved in the paint. Questions will be answered during the season on how Dennis playing big minutes every game goes, is Baze still improving, is Kyle's injury free stroke back and how soon is our new 3 and D guy ready. We have those things and lots more to watch for.

[thecampster]

<--- my take.

Starting point guard - marginally better with Dennis

Starting SG/SF - Baze 1 year older = better, Korver 1 year older = worse...so same.

Starting PF - Millsap next to a true center = marginally better.

Starting Center - Better.

Backup PG - substantially worse.

Backup SG/SF - Unknown

Backup PF - Unknown

Backup Center - as constructed, a healthy Splitter/Edy  > last year.

 

Since the starters play 3/4 of the minutes, I am going to say we are marginally better overall.

[volman]

Don't know but this will be a super fun team to watch. I'm excited!!!

[Thomas]

1 minute ago, volman said:

Don't know but this will be a super fun team to watch. I'm excited!!!

Very much agree.

[RWF]

Upgraded the starting PG and Center positions.

 

[bird_dirt]

I don't know if we'll be better this year, but I don't think we'll be worse.  I do think, though, that we'll be better next year (17/18) than we were last year (15/16) once our coaches help D12  (hopefully), plus progressive development of Dennis and this year's rookies and everyone has had time to gel over a year playing with each other. That is, of Sap stays.

[skimaskway23]

People that are wary of Dwight need to chill. If there is anybody that can get the best out of him it is bud. Millsap is going to play lights out in a contract year.

Baze and thjr will take a step forward. Dennis will become a top 10 PG. 

 

This team will be better than most think. 

[ViewsFromTheSquawk]

Better record? Yes! Better seeding? Nope. All East teams gotten better this offseason. Even the ones with the furthest chance at the playoffs (PHI and BKN) I expect us to end up right around a 6 seed in the East. 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, skimaskway23 said:

People that are wary of Dwight need to chill. If there is anybody that can get the best out of him it is bud. Millsap is going to play lights out in a contract year.

Baze and thjr will take a step forward. Dennis will become a top 10 PG. 

 

This team will be better than most think. 

I have confidence in Bud, I lack confidence in Dwight. 

We will still be a good team.  

[skimaskway23]

7 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I have confidence in Bud, I lack confidence in Dwight. 

We will still be a good team.  

I read that we vetted dwight like a vice president candidate. Our doctors cleared him and player personel green lit this decision. We wouldn't commit if we weren't confident in Dwight. 

[Guest]

Just now, skimaskway23 said:

I read that we vetted dwight like a vice president candidate. Our doctors cleared him and player personel green lit this decision. We wouldn't commit if we weren't confident in Dwight. 

That's  good.  I'll still wait  and see. I know what his strengths are  and  I know how he  can help.  He still comes with baggage.  Let's see how much of it  he can lose.  I'm optimistic, but like Supes says - I just can't drink  the cool aid.

[WraithSentinel]

I like this team better than the version of the last two years. I am expecting THJr to perform a lot better now that he has been in the system for a year. Plus Bud will trust him more. I am really liking our wing depth with the draft picks,Thabo,THJr and Baze. We can now limit Korver mins which should make him more effective.

 

We are going to get a heavily motivated Howard and thanks to that lil drama queen bitch fans are going to rally around Howard even more which will only help Howard.  I don't think Sap will take the trade talk too personally. He may use it as motivation. Sap know it a business and plus he has a lot to play for with the new contract next year.

My only concern is the PG position and Front Court Depth. I do believe Dennis is a better PG then Teague. He has to be more consistent and a stable force at the position. There is no one there to bail him if he has an off night. As for FC depth we got some nice pieces with Tiago,Moose,Edy and Scott(if he there). More will be expected of them this year so they need step up. Backup PF position is a concern for me especially if something happens to Scott unless Moose can hold down those mins effectively.

 

[tonegully]

No this team isnt better. In my opinion with Howard we will have change the entire way we play. I think we will be alot slower on the offensive end but we did improve on the defensive end.

[Final_quest]

A lot of next year will depend on our ability to stay healthy.  We could be worse or better based off injuries.  

I'm hoping Kyle, Thabo, and Splitter stay off the IR.  Korver never seemed to gain his shooting form.  If he can recover that would help us tremendously.  He might be finished as a starter, and we'll just have to move on if that is the case.  

 

[Buzzard]

Absolutely. How much that shows in the win/loss column is debatable; but with Dwight in the paint no one will like facing us in the playoffs.

Howard shows up for the playoffs and I think that will rub off on the whole team; and don't even talk to me about if we make the playoffs, there is no if.

[NBASupes]

Let's just assume the obvious. 

We were good NBA team. Great defense. Slightly below average offensively. We had below average NBA talent but we executed at a much higher rate than the level of our talent. We had a top 10 PG. One of the best backups in the NBA at PG. A top tier PF/C and we had one of the best shooters in the league while losing one a solid SF in Carroll. 

We lose that top 10 PG for a rookie who will need time to develop. If that was the only move. We would be even worse. That means we would go from below average talent to slightly above bad and our two headed monster attack of Teague/Dennis gone. This could have a large effect on execution but Dennis is more talented and he's elite at PnR and we at the time had the best one in the biz in Horford. 

 

Now we replace Howard with Horford. Our talent level stays the same but the impact it could have could be much different. Some say good and change is needed and others say this puts us as a garbage team playing to our talent level. With that said. We have taking a hit talent wise with the move to downgrade Jeff Teague for T. Prince. That much is clear so yes, we are a worse team. How much worse depends on who you ask. 

Edited July 4, 2016 by NBASupes

[sillent]

42 minutes ago, ViewsFromTheSquawk said:

Better record? Yes! Better seeding? Nope. All East teams gotten better this offseason. Even the ones with the furthest chance at the playoffs (PHI and BKN) I expect us to end up right around a 6 seed in the East. 

Pacers are better

Cavs are the Cavs

Raptors lost Biyambo(Playoff heart)

Celtics are better(Still not by much Al isn't that significant of a difference) Imagine us with just Al and Teague as our primary stars

Knicks are better barring injury

Heat are in ???( will they retain Wade they already lost Deng and Joe)

Pistons are better (if/with internal growth but no major changes)

That's 7 teams and if everything goes right our way I don't see us lower than 4th and if the Heat don't keep DWade it might be 6

Magic Lost Olidipo and Ibaka/Biyambo can't run the team

Wizards already missed the playoffs last year and haven't gotten better pieces

Bulls might be in rebuilding mode

Bucks look good on paper but they have the last couple years now and have disappointed

Hornets lost Al Jefferson but might be able to make a playoff spot

The Rest of the East Nets, 76ers aren't really in question currently

 

Besides the Cavs I think it will be a battle between Us, the Pacers, the Raptors and Possibly the Knicks . I think the Raptors will drop slightly in the rankings which leaves Us and the Pacers fighting for that second position. Unless the Cavs trade Love and get better Us(Hawks), Pacers, Raptors and Knicks all have a fighting chance of taking that top spot in the regular season. The Celtics may be able to fight their way into the 3rd or 4th conversation. Either way the Magic, Wizards, Heat and Hornet are all in our Division and at the moment we look better than all of them.

[Ebert]

It depends on these three players:

-Dennis Schröder

-Taurean Prince

-Dwight Howard

 

 

They will be the key to success this year. We know what we are getting from anyone else (except Bembry, who could also become a good bench player).

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Still a top 4 team with the potential to rise to #2, if everything falls into place.

Hawks were 21st in offense last year.  The only playoff team that was worse, was Indiana.

We've added around the rim scoring in Howard, a shooter in Prince, and a Euroleague PG that can score.

Defensively, we're a top 5 squad.

Edited July 4, 2016 by TheNorthCydeRises