The Hawks begin their regular season Wednesday as they hunt to improve on last season’s early end to their NBA postseason.
Optimism surrounds the team practice, with several fresh faces filling out this season’s roster. But the Hawks still are a young team, with several key rotational players under the age of 25.
Here are five keys to the coming season, which begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets at State Farm Arena:
Offensive efficiency when Trae Young sits
Last season, Dejounte Murray handled the bulk of the non-Trae Young minutes at point guard. Without Murray, who was traded to New Orleans in the offseason, the Hawks will have to find the right backup to help maintain the level of efficiency when Young goes to the bench.
The Hawks filled out their roster with versatile players who can handle the ball and create for others this offseason, such as Dyson Daniels. They also have Jalen Johnson, Kobe Bufkin, Vit Krejci and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who have shown an ability to quarterback the team’s offense.
So, the team will handle the backup point-guard minutes by committee.
“We got guys that can help with the ball handling and spread that out a little bit more,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder told reporters in Miami. “Jalen is another guy that’s a capable handler, so I think that’s, you know, the way that that group can play to take a little pressure off anybody feeling like this is my job singularly.”
Committment to defensive intensity
The Hawks understood that they had to improve on defense, so they used the offseason to find players who could provide the right spark to turn things around.
The team acquired Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. this offseason. The Hawks also drafted Zaccharie Risacher with the top overall pick, increasing the length and size of the team at the wing.
On top of that, the Hawks have discussed openly their desire to have more energy, as a whole, on the defensive end of the floor.
“I think the best way to look at it is, you want to have a presence on the ball and try to be more disruptive than we have been in the past,” Snyder recently said to reporters in Oklahoma City. “Whether we’re actually dictating with our defenses is a different, a different question. But I think it’s a connective thing for your defense as well.”
Patience with Zaccharie Risacher’s development
The rookie already has shown poise, and his experience as a professional in Europe has set the foundation for him to have success in the NBA. But like all rookies, the 19-year-old forward will go through growing pains as he adjusts to the speed and physicality of veteran players in the NBA.
The Hawks have committed to developing Risacher, especially with Snyder’s continued acknowledgment of the unique circumstances that landed the Frenchman in Atlanta.
The team had only a 3% chance of landing the top overall pick, and in most cases, No. 1 picks land on young teams. That allows for extended playing time and maybe more room to apply what he learns on a game-by-game basis.
Risacher has shown that he is a quick learner and dedicated to his craft.
“He lets the game come to him,” Snyder said following Monday’s exhibition game. “There’s always kind of a tendency to try to impose yourself on the game to a certain degree. That’s not bad, but he’s making the right plays and making good decisions. As I mentioned I think the work ethic that he has that breeds that toughness. Because when you put that much into something, you come into it.”
Remaining as healthy as possible
It’s tough to avoid injuries in the NBA, but the Hawks have to find ways to keep their roster as healthy as possible. Injuries tested the team’s depth last season, with three key rotational players dealing with long-term absences.
The team had to play the second half of the season without top guard Young for 22 games with a left-hand injury. It missed the presence of Johnson when he worked through a left fractured wrist and a couple of ankle sprains. The Hawks also played without backup center Onyeka Okongwu for 24 games because of a left big toe sprain.
As they head into the regular season, the Hawks already have some players dealing with a couple of bumps and bruises. That’s why the team opted to rest most of the starters and some of their rotational players in the final exhibition game.
“There’s a number of guys with the back-to-back (games) last night that won’t be available,” Snyder said. “Most of them have some knicks, whether it be Zacch, Bogi, a few others, and then it makes sense at this point. The last thing you want is to someone to come out after a back-to-back (games) with regardless of the minutes, you know, a game where there’s a lot of energy, and you fly all night, and then you have something happen.”
Breakouts from key rotational players
Last season, the Hawks saw Johnson break out before and after he returned from his injuries. This season, the team will want to see breakouts from even more players, as they continue to monitor internal development.
As the Hawks look to prepare for a future that likely will not include veteran center Clint Capela, they’ll look to see how Okongwu takes a step forward. The 23-year-old has steadily increased his offensive productivity over four seasons and has begun to take 3-point shots.
The team will want to see even more defensive productivity from him, especially with league’s move to lengthier big men who also can stretch the floor.
The Hawks also will want to see Bufkin take a step, even though injuries hampered his rookie season. Based on the team’s exhibition season, the 21-year-old will see an increase in minutes and will handle some of the court leadership when Young heads to the bench.
They’ll also want to see De’Andre Hunter build off an efficient season, as well as how Krejci’s summer work will help them improve.
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