Atlanta Hawks Season Preview

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Cousins and Smith checking out a young lady in the 3rd row...stay focused guys...
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“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” 
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War


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Thabo Sefolosha has officially come to terms the Hawks! 



Emeka Okafor and Rodney Stuckey also resigned long term.


Fans are dancing in the street but we've seen this before, our own Jeff Schultz sits down with GM Blackice. 



Schultz: "It's been a full season since we last spoke! Has the stress of the expectations that you've built up started to get to you?"

BI (ATL GM): 

"We've made a lot of progress as an organization since our staff started here and if I'm being honest the lack of results last season really got to me. Missing the playoffs after making it the year before showed regression and that is unacceptable."

Schultz: "You've overhauled the roster yet again. Some say your aggressive, indecisive nature has actually hurt the franchise long term. What do you say to that?"

BI (ATL GM): 

"I'd actually argue it may have hurt us more short term. We had a chance to make a playoff push when we had Melo and Deron and chose to go in a different direction. From the mindset of a fan I see why my approach could be viewed as detrimental to the health of our team but as an executive I have to view this long term. There is winning the championship and there is failure. No one remembers who came in second decades from now and we felt that core wasn't going anywhere in the big picture.

Schultz: "What is your goal for this team both short and long term?"

BI (ATL GM): 

"I spoke with Coach Van Gundy and we feel that we can win a title this season if two things happen. Firstly, we have to develop team chemistry and limit major roster changes this season. The first is on coach and the second is on me. The other factor is Kyle Anderson's development this season. He is only 20 years old and is going to have a lot more responsibility this season, how he deals with that pressure will determine how far we go. Longterm we feel our core of Walker, Barnes, Anderson, Cousins (all 24 or under) has the potential to do great things."

Schultz: "If you had to choose one GM in both conferences feel did the best job last season, who would they be?"

BI (ATL GM): 

I admire the progress that Charlotte and Houston made this season. I talk about bringing this team a championship those teams actually took big steps in that regard. Establishing a winning culture has tangible benefits and they've done done that.

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Current Lineup

Kemba Walker/Andre Miller
Harrison Barnes/Rodney Stuckey/Sasha Pavlovic
Kyle Anderson/Thabo Sefolosha/Derrick Brown
Josh Smith/Jason Thompson/Thomas Robinson
DeMarcus Cousins/Emeka Okafor

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Kemba Walker
18/4/6 w/ 0.9 stl - 40%/36%/80%

Kemba is a dynamic point guard who has a reputation as a tenacious defender and a volume scorer who can stretch the floor. He rebounds at a high level for his position and can take over games when he has to. He needs to take care of the ball better and defer to Kyle and Smith who are more natural playmakers - if he does his FG% should go up.

Harrison Barnes
17/5/2 w/ 0.8 stls - 49%/42%/70%

Barnes has elite handles is one of the smartest players in the league. His ability to keep the defense honest with his outside game will serve us well when teams double down on Cousins. There are so many smaller combo guards at SG and Harrison can finish around the hoop/post up so he will be a matchup nightmare for defenses on most nights. He was one of the most efficient perimeter players in the league last season and made the allstar team.

Kyle Anderson
11/3/4 w/ 0.9 stl - 40%/29%/83%

We hope Anderson will grow into a superstar longterm but the second year SF will have growing pains and we understand that. His A/TO ratio was better then a lot of point guards last season and he was one of the best players in summer league (all wins):

27/3/12 w/ 3 stls vs. HOU
15/2/14 vs. CHI
21/9/6 w/ 2 stls vs. SAC
16/3/3 w/ 2 stl vs. POR
22/6/5 vs. PHI

Josh Smith
15/7/5 w/ 2.1 blks & 1.8 stsl - 38%/23/59%

Josh Smith Returns to the ATL wrote:
Smith was playing out of position at small forward last season, and all due respect to the previous GM Jose Juan Barea and JR Smith was the starting backcourt for SAC last year. Smith had to do everything for that team, he was only 0.7 assists behind the starting point guard and 0.7 rebounds behind the starting center. He was also the 3rd leading scorer as well and led the team in steals and blocks. As a wing. He had the highest usage on the team and was top 10 in the league in terms of minutes per game. There was no GM/Coach making adjustments to boot and despite all this he put up 14.8/6.5/4.7 on 2.1 blks/1.8 stls. His efficiency was putrid (38/23/59) but given the circumstances it's kind of expect.


The year before (2012) when SAC had an active GM Smith shot 45% from the field and made 3rd team All League, 1st team Defense and was an Allstar. In fact he was named a starter over Kevin Love and Derrick Favors who were reserves.

DeMarcus Cousins
28/11/1 w/ 1.4 blks & 1.8 stls - 50%/_/65%

When you take current production into account a healthy Cousins is a top 3 center (Bynum/Howard) and has a case for the best center in the league. When you take his age (24), size (6'11 - 302 lbs) and defensive impact I can only think of 5 players in the league I'd take over him. Durant, Lebron, Harden, Davis and Lillard. We will have the best player on the floor most nights as long as he can stay healthy.

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Bench:

We concentrated on supplementing the starting lineup with defense, rebounding and low usage players who will play their role. Thabo, Thompson and Okafor are starter quality players and Miller, Stuckey are above average backups.

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Amin Elhassan

The roster on paper looks lethal but the games have to be played. The notion that Kemba won't be able to run the team seems misguided as there are two point forwards in the lineup and he put up decent APG numbers last season. Smoove and Kemba didn't have much help last season, this is their chance to prove they can contribute to a winner and sacrifice shots for the betterment of the team. The team is so young but I wouldn't be surprised to see a deep playoff run and if I was a Hawks fan I'd be salivating at what the future holds for this team.

INSIDER wrote:An inside source is telling me the GM is targeting a veteran combo guard who can stretch the floor on a minimum contract - but outside of that this is the set roster going into next season.

Wow, you really put a lot of work into this preview.

I think your team has the potential to do a lot of damage, though I'm really not a fan of Kemba. But like you said in the article, if you continue to make major roster changes throughout the season and shuffle the roster, I don't think you'll get anywhere, and it's just going to be deja vu where you come into the season at the top of the East, it doesn't work out, you rip the team apart to rebuild, and make trades to get back to contention in the offseason. Rinse and repeat.

That DMC pickup was huge for you though. I think you really needed that franchise player (not sure Kyle Anderson is quite there yet), and you got him for pretty cheap. He definitely has the potential to join Andrew Bynum and Dwight as the best centers in the league.

These guys have alot of talent individually, gonna have to see how they work collectively, actually eerily similar to the team you had last season.

Smith Kemba and Cousins have to have the ball, Anderson and Barnes play well off the ball with Anderson needing it to be at his best with his all around game.

Someone will get left out so the pecking order'll be interesting as in how you would like for it to go vs how it plays out.

Very nice read.

I agree with Willy.. Team looking good at paper, but we need to see how they're going to do together with many players that needs the ball.. Smith and Cousins aren't great catch and shoot players, even if they have range, they need the ball to score, but Andersen needs the ball to distribute and be effective and Kemba is a ball-dominant PG.
Still, there's much talent and the potential of that young Hawks team is amazing. Great job you have done.
Let's see if it's gonna work, if works you have a great chance to come out of the East and face me at the Finals hahaha
Just kidding guys, long season, gotta respect every great team in the West. This year the league is going to be very though.

Love the article. Love the team (obviously, Kyle Anderson FTW)

The DMC get was gargantuan. Let's see a ATL/MIL ECF!

Jake0890 (MIN) wrote:Wow, you really put a lot of work into this preview.

I think your team has the potential to do a lot of damage, though I'm really not a fan of Kemba. But like you said in the article, if you continue to make major roster changes throughout the season and shuffle the roster, I don't think you'll get anywhere, and it's just going to be deja vu where you come into the season at the top of the East, it doesn't work out, you rip the team apart to rebuild, and make trades to get back to contention in the offseason. Rinse and repeat.

That DMC pickup was huge for you though. I think you really needed that franchise player (not sure Kyle Anderson is quite there yet), and you got him for pretty cheap. He definitely has the potential to join Andrew Bynum and Dwight as the best centers in the league.

Ultimately I think it boils down to progress, I think if you take over a team with a solid foundation/franchise player you can afford to make small adjustments and do well. Or you can go the other way and tank for a top pick, or go the FA route. I'm pretty content with where my approach has gotten this roster but like I said in my article success is measured in championships. The trick is knowing when you have a championship roster and stop, I feel/felt I hadn't gotten there yet.

WillyJakkz (HOU) wrote:These guys have alot of talent individually, gonna have to see how they work collectively, actually eerily similar to the team you had last season.

Smith Kemba and Cousins have to have the ball, Anderson and Barnes play well off the ball with Anderson needing it to be at his best with his all around game.

Someone will get left out so the pecking order'll be interesting as in how you would like for it to go vs how it plays out.

Very nice read.

Marcos_Beck (OKC) wrote:I agree with Willy.. Team looking good at paper, but we need to see how they're going to do together with many players that needs the ball.. Smith and Cousins aren't great catch and shoot players, even if they have range, they need the ball to score, but Andersen needs the ball to distribute and be effective and Kemba is a ball-dominant PG.
Still, there's much talent and the potential of that young Hawks team is amazing. Great job you have done.
Let's see if it's gonna work, if works you have a great chance to come out of the East and face me at the Finals hahaha
Just kidding guys, long season, gotta respect every great team in the West. This year the league is going to be very though.

(MINUTES)


Kemba Walker [30]/Kyle Anderson [10]/Andre Miller [8]
Thabo Sefolosha [28]//Kyle Anderson [10]/Rodney Stuckey [10]
Harrison Barnes [36]/Kyle Anderson [12]
Josh Smith [32]/Jason Thompson [16]
DeMarcus Cousins [34]/Emeka Okafor [18]


This is an issue that didn't have to be addressed through trade, just fiddled with minutes. Anderson gets 32 mpg and runs the 2nd unit with Thabo and to a certain extent Barnes playing catch and shoot basketball. 

Riot (MKE) wrote:Love the article. Love the team (obviously, Kyle Anderson FTW)

The DMC get was gargantuan. Let's see a ATL/MIL ECF!

Ironically Andrew Harrison is a nightmare matchup for my PG rotation, I'm excited to see how he does this season.

blackice (ATL) wrote:
(MINUTES)


Kemba Walker [30]/Kyle Anderson [10]/Andre Miller [8]
Thabo Sefolosha [28]//Kyle Anderson [10]/Rodney Stuckey [10]
Harrison Barnes [36]/Kyle Anderson [12]
Josh Smith [32]/Jason Thompson [16]
DeMarcus Cousins [34]/Emeka Okafor [18]

Aside from this little Math error with OK4 / DMC minutes, it looks pretty well. Is Thabo starting? I think it would give your team great balance if he does start.

Marcos_Beck (OKC) wrote:

blackice (ATL) wrote:
(MINUTES)


Kemba Walker [30]/Kyle Anderson [10]/Andre Miller [8]
Thabo Sefolosha [28]//Kyle Anderson [10]/Rodney Stuckey [10]
Harrison Barnes [36]/Kyle Anderson [12]
Josh Smith [32]/Jason Thompson [16]
DeMarcus Cousins [34]/Emeka Okafor [18]

Aside from this little Math error with OK4 / DMC minutes, it looks pretty well. Is Thabo starting? I think it would give your team great balance if he does start.

DeMarcus Cousins [34]/Emeka Okafor [14] I meant, good catch. Yes, with Thabo starting it takes out a ball handler and gives us a better spacer/defender. The added benefit is that Anderson compliments Thompson/Okafor (low usage) and is featured offensively like Harden/Manu used to be.

Ok yeah, not that the initial rotation won't be a capable bunch, I really like the rotation you listed above, that looks really sweet cause Thabo seems like he'd allow everyone to play how they normally play without chemistry issues while Kyle still gets his mins.

I actually wonder how a lineup of:
Kyle/ Thabo/ Barnes/ Smith/ Cousins would do with Kemba coming in as the scorer off the bench but still gets his mins to develop etc and Okafor in for Smith and move Cuz to the PF spot in spurts.

Many options though with some versatility.

WillyJakkz (HOU) wrote:Ok yeah, not that the initial rotation won't be a capable bunch, I really like the rotation you listed above, that looks really sweet cause Thabo seems like he'd allow everyone to play how they normally play without chemistry issues while Kyle still gets his mins.

I actually wonder how a lineup of:
Kyle/ Thabo/ Barnes/ Smith/ Cousins would do with Kemba coming in as the scorer off the bench but still gets his mins to develop etc and Okafor in for Smith and move Cuz to the PF spot in spurts.

Many options though with some versatility.

The underrated aspect of Kemba is his defense. He's rated 80 DEF, 85 DI so paired with Thabo in the backcourt with Smith/Cousins/Okafor up front we have a defensive identity. We'll see how Kyle performs off the bench but for now his defense isn't good enough to run the point full time. Offensively he is already good enough to run the team though - 63 PAS, 76 HDL, 75 IQ (pre TC) - but with a 62 DEF rating and his size (6-8, 233 lbs) he'll get torched by point guards.

Okafor may eat into Thompson's minutes a bit so Okafor/Cousins will be paired at times.

great article

Would it makes sense to start Thabo instead? He brings some veteran presence and defense. Seems like your bench is a bit thin on scoring...

You've put together a very talented team with a lot of depth, more so than any other team in the league I think. When the time comes you have all the pieces necessary to make a huge trade to really shake up the league and make a push if you need it. I'm going to be paying close attention to your team since you are in the East. Good luck this year man.

The Hawks are going to be a very dangerous team. If Smoove can be relatively efficient and KA takes a step forward then this team can beat anyone in the East.

Really love your team! No idea how you managed to nab prospects like Barnes and Cousins, but thats BI, he makes the impossible possible!
The team looks great but it will be hard work to get the Kemba-Cousins connection working, but Im sure BI will figure out how to get them going.
If everything fails he still could let Kyle run the point. Love that kid.