Through 52 seasons in the Peach State, the Atlanta Hawks franchise has only made the playoffs 33 times. The organization’s last playoff appearance was in 2017, with a first-round exit to the once-promising Washington Wizards. We can safely say that the previous few seasons have resulted in underwhelming finishes.
One highlight for the Hawks front office and coaching staff was Lloyd Pierce’s hiring, coming from Brett Brown’s exceptional coaching staff with the Philadelphia 76er’s. Many praised his hiring, expecting him to take the team to the next level.
The Hawks have yet to win a championship in Atlanta, continuing a drought that began 62 years ago. Pierce and the front office have drafted well over the last few years. Now that the tools are there, the franchise’s first step to success is complete.
“We have a young core of guys who’ve been here two to three years now as we enter into this season, and they [have] enough experience playing together,” Pierce said.
You may recall the Hawks selecting Luka Doncic third overall in the 2018 NBA Draft before trading him for Trae Young, the fifth overall pick, minutes later.
Young was fresh off a ridiculous college season for the Oklahoma Sooners. He led the nation in scoring and assists, a feat never accomplished until his freshman year.
He is everything the Hawks wanted and could be the face of the franchise for the next decade. As one of the more talented shooters in the league, people often compare Young to a more versatile and younger version of Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry.
A supporting cast with borderline all-star John Collins gives Pierce one of the best young duos in the league. Along with Collins and Young, the Hawks’ homegrown talent features De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Kevin Heurter and Bruno Fernando, all 23 or younger. The Hawks are looking to make the roster a much younger and versatile team to pair alongside vets like Jeff Teague and Dewayne Dedmon.
“[Hunter and Reddish need to be] more assertive, more aggressive, having the mindset to be productive for our team on both ends of the floor [in order to succeed next season],” Pierce told the media during the team’s mini-camp early last month. “They played heavy minutes as rookies, and I think that’s a great step for them in terms of gaining that first-year experience.”
However, that still wasn’t enough to put them over the hump and become a potential playoff basketball team. Ultimately, Pierce’s next step to transition into a playoff team will be the next question the organization has to answer going into the 2020-21 season.
Going through a pandemic makes it a little harder than usual for teams to establish that communication, especially on and off the court.
“It’s a priority in every season. It’s easy to say it was more important this year than it was last year,” Pierce said. “It’s always … important, mainly because you add different guys to your roster.”
One of the new faces in Atlanta this season is Clint Capela, a 26-year-old defensive anchor. The Swiss-born center provides any offense with double-digit points and rebounds each night.
“We have Clint, and then we still have four or five spots to fill with new guys, and so [if] we can’t communicate, we will be lost,” Pierce said. “I think you get that every time you restart a season. You add new players that are learning the system you are putting in, and the ability to get on the same page is a vital step.”
Collins is a natural power forward emerging as an exceptional all-around player. He will most likely share the court with Capela, a force on the inside. The 6-foot, 9-inch Collins continuously worked hard at becoming a more versatile player and complementing Trae Young, especially with his jump shot.
Collins’ development will play a major role in Pierce’s future as well as the organization. His play will determine the results as they compete for a playoff spot in the years to come.
“John has been tremendous,” Pierce said. “He’s done a tremendous job of working with the coaches with perimeter stuff, [dribble hand-off] stuff and a lot of different finishes he’s creating on his own.”
A winning organization starts from the front office and works its way down to the court, which is the case with any major league sports team. Pierce’s recognition of this is a significant step forward for the Hawks if they want to see playoff action going into the new season.
It also helps to have Trae Young on your roster. But, just one player producing will not translate into game wins for the young Hawks.
“We’re going into the year needing to be competitive. Playoffs are an easy target, and it shifts our mindset about what we want to accomplish this year,” Pierce said. “But for us as an improved team, we have to come together and try to build on what we have done, and that’s really the focus.
