Led by Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks are going to be an exciting team to watch out for during the 2022-23 NBA season.
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The Atlanta Hawks are a side to watch out for during the 2022-23 NBA season. They added young point guard Dejounte Murray to the roster by giving up a load of their draft picks. His arrival is expected to strengthen the franchise as he is a solid two-way player. This also means that some of the load can be taken off Trae Young, who has been the only player that has been consistently helping the Hawks’ offense.
Aside from Murray and Young, the Atlanta Hawks have a few other players, who can help them make a deep playoff run. Last season, the team started a little slow and it was only towards the end that they played quality basketball. However, looking at the improvements the side has made in the offseason, the Hawks could be a big threat to the other teams in the Eastern Conference. In this article, we take a look at five players who are going to play a big role in their pursuit of a championship.
Trae Young is one of the most impressive young talents in the NBA. Last season, he finished as the highest points and assist-getter in the league. Young did that by shooting his career best from the field and the three-point range. The 24-year-old has been unfazed by the big situations. However, it has been difficult for him to carry the team on his shoulders throughout the playoffs. Now that he has some support from Dejounte Murray, Young can play with a lot more freedom. He is supremely talented and if he gets going, the Hawks are going to be a tough side to beat.
Dejounte Murray made a blockbuster move in the summer when he decided to move to the Atlanta Hawks after spending six years in San Antonio. His brilliance in the last season had helped him make the All-Star team for the first time. Murray will be looking to continue working hard and make the All-Star team this season as well.
He has looked great alongside Trae Young in the Pro-Am and preseason games. If the two continue their exploits in the regular season, the Hawks could make their way into the Top 4 in the East. Murray, who is 6 feet 5 is extremely athletic. His passing ability is known to all, but the 26-year-old had also made it to the All-Defensive second team in 2018. He also led the league in steals last season and with him on the roster, the Hawks’ weak defense can expect to improve greatly.
There were a lot of reports that indicated John Collins would be on his way out of Atlanta in the offseason. However, the forward dismissed all of that and is locked in to stay with the franchise for a while. Collins has been a big player for the team on the offensive end. He is a constant lob threat and his partnership with Trae Young has been great since the guard’s arrival in the league. This season, Collins will get further help from Dejounte Murray. Along with his offense, Collins will also have to sharpen his defensive skill as that is where the Atlanta Hawks will need him the most this season. The team has had a leaky defense and if they can improvise on that, things could be great for them in the postseason.
Clint Capela has been an important player for the Atlanta Hawks in the last few seasons. His elite rim protection and rebounding ability has helped the team out several times. Capela has also constantly improved on the offensive end. He has been a great finisher around the basket and with guards like Young and Murray, Capela can expect a lot of buckets this season.
At 28, he is also one of the senior-most players on the roster as he has been in the league for seven years and has also been a part of some deep playoff runs. Going into the 2022-23 season, he will be looking to motivate the players on the roster and get the best out of them as the talent on the Atlanta Hawks team is second to none in the league. However, it is very important that they have a veteran, who can hold them accountable. Although Capela is not as old as the other seasoned players, he is the ideal player to help out the stars in Atlanta.
Bogdan Bogdanovic has been a great support to the Atlanta Hawks since he arrived in 2020. His ability to knock down three-point shots has helped the team out of many tough situations. Going into the 2022-23 NBA season, Bogdanovic will be looking to up his game as the Hawks team has gotten a little better. If he is to start for the team, Bogdanovic will have to give his best every night. The Serbian had his career-best average of 17.8 PPPG for the Hawks last season. He will be looking to up that once again and help the team make a deep playoff run.
