The Atlanta Hawks Are A Weird Watch Right Now
What to make of the Hawks with 27 games left in the regular season.
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It’s just like the headline reads – the Atlanta Hawks are a weird watch right now. In their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves last night, the Hawks played four guys who played in the season opener against the Toronto Raptors, a team I think the Hawks have lost to on thirteen different occasions this season. Those four include: Zaccharie Risacher, Onyeka Okongwu, Mouhamed Gueye, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
In the blowout loss, the newly acquired from Los Angeles, Gabe Vincent, played 19 minutes off the bench. Jock Londale played 18 minutes off the bench. Buddy Hield entered and quickly exited the game after five minutes of action. Asa Newell started both halves at the four and was 1-for-5 from the floor. CJ McCollum started for the Hawks and had 18 in the first. Atlanta’s defense was horrific, as the Timberwolves had 81 points in the first half. It’s a troubling trend for Atlanta, as the Hawks are dead last in the NBA in defensive efficiency over their last three games.
The Hawks did what they usually do without their star forward Jalen Johnson in the lineup this season – they lost. Atlanta is 1-5 this season when the first-time All-Star is not available. The Hawks are also 0-3 when their pesky guard Dyson Daniels does not suit up. They were both unavailable last night, so the final result should not have been a surprise for the folks who watch a lot of Hawks basketball.
That’s not the crux of this piece, though. The Hawks are now 26-29, which feels like something they’ve been every year for half a decade now. It’s an Atlanta professional sports problem, really. If you ask any Atlanta Falcons fan to guess the team’s record for any of the last five years, they would guess something in the ballpark of .500 or just a couple of games below it. The Hawks have an average win percentage of 47.5 percent over the last four years. Their franchise's average win percentage overall is 49.3 percent. The Hawks have a win percentage of 47.3 percent this season. It’s inescapable. Or at least it’s starting to feel that way.
The Hawks still have 27 games left to play. They’re in the Play-In if the season ended today. A spot they’re all too familiar with, where they’re sandwiched between the Miami Heat, who knocked them out in this same scenario last season, and the Charlotte Hornets, who have won nine of their last ten games. It is very unlikely that the Hawks win two play-in games and make the playoffs this season.
Outside of watching the all-around brilliance of Jalen Johnson most nights, what’s the hook for Hawks fans over these final 27 games? It’s a weird rotation with guys like Londale and Vincent in the fold. Corey Kispert looks like a nice rotation piece for the next couple of seasons – he had a drive last night where he finished with his left hand on Rudy Gobert that was especially impressive. Alexander-Walker is a funky player in the best ways. His quick sidestep threes are a delight to watch. He’s a great rebounder for his position. He plays hard all the time. Outside of Johnson, he’s my favorite player on this year’s Hawks team.
One of the key You Have To Watch Atlanta Down The Stretch points should be former No. 1 overall pick Risacher. Last night was a great example of why that is not the case. With Johnson and Daniels unavailable, and a rookie starting next to him with Newell, it was a nice opportunity for the wing to have a nice night. Instead, he went 1-for-9 from the floor, an ugly 0-for-6 from deep, in 21 minutes of action. Risacher is not a terrible NBA player, but he’s not a great one right now. He’s also just not a fun watch most nights. Riscacher, like the Hawks over the last five seasons, is painfully average. He’s fine.
The You Have To Watch Atlanta Down The Stretch point is really Jonathan Kuminga. The Mystery Man from Golden State is yet to debut for the Hawks. Vincent made his debut for the Hawks last night. McCollum and Kispert have played for the Hawks. Hield made his brief cameo last night in the Twin Cities. All eyes are on Kuminga, a polarizing wing who may or may not be in Atlanta’s long-term plans. I don’t know, but I’d love to find out.
With nothing to play for outside of another quick Play-In elimination in a couple of months, lots and lots of Kuminga minutes make sense for the Hawks. Is he a three or a four? The 23-year-old has appeared in just 67 games over the last two seasons. I have no idea what Kuminga is in Atlanta. Outside of watching Johnson and Alexander-Walker play a really fun, winning brand of basketball 27 more times this season, the intrigue lies primarily with Kuminga.
While we’re on Kuminga Watch, Atlanta will be a Weird Watch. It’s an odd mix of talent right now. The Hawks are truly awful defensively right now. But Johnson is a true cornerstone piece. Daniels and Alexander-Walker could be, too. I have changed my mind on Okongwu too often to count. Even weirder, the Hawks could welcome another No. 1 overall pick into the fold this summer if the ping pong balls bounce the right way for Atlanta for the second time in three years.
It’s all weird for the Atlanta Hawks.