Underwhelming has been the theme throughout the whole season for the Hawks. The team needs to perform better, with different players hitting slumps at inopportune times. There are only nine games left in the regular season, and here are a few insights into the near future.

Playoffs?

The Hawks are looking to squeak into the playoffs as things stand now. The Hawks have maintained a .500 for the whole season, being mediocre. I predict the Hawks will end with an even record of 41-41 to cap off their underwhelming season. With how they are playing now, I suspect the Hawks will stay in the eighth seed, which means they are in the play-in tournament. I would not be surprised if they lost a game or were eliminated from the tournament, but the latter is unlikely. Once they make it into playoffs, they have a tall task ahead of them, facing either the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, or the Philadelphia Sixers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. All three are proven teams that will tear the Hawks apart, and I foresee the series going at most six games. The Hawks do not have the defense to stop these teams, and paired with players’ inconsistent offensive showing, the Atlanta Hawks will be a first-round exit.

A Step in the Right Direction

Moving past the playoffs, the Hawks should directly fix their internal problems. They made the correct decision in getting rid of McMillan, as he did not mesh well with the players. Quin Snyder is a good fit for this Atlanta Hawks team, but he was hired with little time and practice to improve the roster so quickly. The front office needs to clear out McMillan’s former assistant coaches, except for Joe Prunty, and allow Snyder to bring in coaches that he trusts and will help the players get caught up in his system at the start of next season. This will allow for a smoother integration of Snyder’s system, and the players get ample time to adjust to playing under Snyder and his philosophies.

Avoiding Mediocrity

The Atlanta Hawks have bought into the win-now mode by trading for Dejounte Murray. The Hawks cannot be fickle and must be aggressive in their trades and signings. They must trade draft capital, drafted players who are not ready to play in NBA games, and young players who do not fit the current mold of this team for players who will make an immediate impact for the sake of winning a championship. 3-and-D wings who can create their dribble are the ideal players, but more 3-pt shooting and defensive specialists are sorely needed to patch up this Hawk’s team’s weaknesses. Being timid will only lead to years of mediocrity and will waste Trae Young’s prime, making him unhappy and possibly leading to him leaving in the future, which is the worst-case scenario.

The outcome of the playoffs is irrelevant for this Hawk’s team, as they are salvaging a broken season and are trying to piece together their offense and defense with Snyder. What comes after the playoffs is arguably more important. The front office’s decisions, as well as players becoming more acclimated to Snyder’s system, will show if the Hawks can win a championship in the future or if they are destined to become stuck in mediocrity.