The 2019-20 Atlanta Hawks in Review

November 10th, 2020

by Alan Lu

The Atlanta Hawks weren’t expected to make the playoffs this year, and they ended up winning just 20 of 67 games.  That said, they got big years out of sophomore point guard, Trae Young, and third-year big man, John Collins, as both of them will give the Hawks a potent attack on offense.   They also added Clint Capela via midseason trade, and the Hawks will begin their push for the playoffs next season in a bid for the eighth seed out in the East.

The Hawks have not actually rated well in most statistical categories, as they actually rated as being the worst three-point shooting team in the league, despite having had Trae Young and even though John Collins made 40% of his threes, and they allowed the most points in the league defensively.  Atlanta was generally a bad team all-around in 2020, but they have two very good young players that could make the All-Star team next season, and they added a defensive anchor in Capela that will help with their playoff push in 2021.

PG Trae Young – B+

2020 (ATL): 60 GP, 29.6 PPG, 9.3 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 44 FG%, 36 3PT%, 86 FT%, 35.3 MPG, 23.9 PER, 5.9 WS

Trae Young had a very good season individually with the Hawks, and the super skilled, playmaker made his first All-Star team in the East in 2020.  He excelled as a sharpshooter and scorer on the floor, and he also showed off solid facilitation skills, as he would rack up many assists in games.  On the other hand, he still is not a very good defender, and he really has trouble guarding opponents on a consistent basis.  That’s why they acquired Clint Capela though, so that Young and Collins can focus more on offense.  In addition, the Hawks had a lot of trouble scoring outside of those two players.  Young is a tremendously talented player that could help the Hawks incrementally make a playoff push for next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Franchise Player/Starting Point Guard for the Atlanta Hawks
Projected 2021 Rating: 3 stars (4 star potential)

PF John Collins – B

2020 (ATL): 41 GP, 21.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 1.5 APG, 58 FG%, 40 3PT%, 80 FT%, 33.2 MPG, 23.5 PER, 4.9 WS

John Collins had a very good season for the Atlanta Hawks.  He was consistently getting his team 20 points and 10 rebounds a night, and he did a great job of making shots from all over the floor.  He also provided his team with a shot blocking threat, and he even made 40% of his threes from beyond the arc.  He played very well in his third season with Atlanta, and he could definitely be a future All-Star in the making, especially in the East.  He did get suspended for 25 games due to using growth hormones.

He and Trae Young give Atlanta two franchise-level players to work with, but one concern about Collins is his on-ball defense woes, and that the Hawks have been terrible defensively.  To remedy that, the Hawks have added Capela so that Collins won’t get tough defensive assignments, though it might not necessarily solve their perimeter defense concerns.  Regardless, Collins could be like Atlanta’s version of a young DeMarcus Cousins for the new generation, and while the Hawks are still ways away from title contention, there’s hope that Collins, Capela, and Young could get their team to the playoffs next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starting Power Forward of the Atlanta Hawks
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars (3.5 star potential)

C Clint Capela – B (B with Houston, Incomplete with Atlanta)

2020 (HOU): 39 GP, 13.9 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 63 FG%, 32.8 MPG, 20.6 PER, 4.9 WS

Clint Capela is a strong, defensive-minded center that had consistently put up strong numbers for the Houston Rockets before being traded to Atlanta early in February.  He had thoroughly shut down Minnesota Timberwolves’ center, Karl-Anthony Towns in the first round of the 2018 NBA playoffs, and he has been a statistical darling over the years.  Capela was a longtime defensive anchor of the Rockets, but they were unable to beat Golden State in any of their playoff games against them recently, and this year, they dealt him to experiment towards going into very small-ball in 2020.

Acquired to help Atlanta’s porous defense and to provide a strong interior defender in the middle, Capela has not actually played a game for the Hawks yet due to a nagging heel injury.  While he rates well in many categories, some have concerns about his perimeter skills and if he would match up well to more elite big men like Anthony Davis if his teams were to make a deep playoff run.  Still, Capela will certainly help Atlanta’s defense, and he will likely help push them towards a shot at the playoffs in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Starting Center of the Atlanta Hawks
Projected 2021 Rating: 2.5 stars

SF De’Andre Hunter – C+

2020 (ATL): 63 GP, 12.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 41 FG%, 36 3PT%, 76 FT%, 32 MPG, 8.6 PER, 0.1 WS

De’Andre Hunter helped Virginia win a National Championship in 2019, and he was drafted to be the quintessential 3 and D type of player for the Hawks in the NBA.  He did a pretty good job of making threes this season, but he was given tough defensive assignments and generally struggled defensively this year.  He also didn’t really create his own shot that much or very well, and so there is a legitimate question about how much upside he may have as a player for the future.  Time will tell, and for the time being, he is on the path to be a 3 and D type of role player for the Hawks.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars (2.5 star potential)

SG Kevin Huerter – C+

2020 (ATL): 56 GP, 12.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.8 APG, 41 FG%, 38 3PT%, 83 FT%, 31.4 MPG, 11.5 PER, 1.6 WS

Kevin Huerter is an offensively skilled swingman that can shoot and pass the basketball.  He has excelled as a floor spacer and facilitator on offense, but he will need to improve his rebounding and defense, and he will need to improve his ability to create his own shot offensively as well.  Huerter’s ability to knock down shots and move the ball will likely earn him a lot of minutes with the Atlanta Hawks in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player with the Atlanta Hawks
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars (2.5 star potential)

G-F Cam Reddish – C

2020 (ATL): 58 GP, 10.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 38 FG%, 33 3PT%, 80 FT%, 26.7 MPG, 9 PER, -0.4 WS

Cam Reddish is a very athletic and skilled swingman that was viewed as a high risk, high upside pick when picked as the 10^th overall selection by the Atlanta Hawks.  He underperformed at Duke in his freshman season as he didn’t shoot the ball well, and he wasn’t quite the playmaker he was billed to be for them.

With Atlanta, he had an up and down season for them.  Reddish shot the three-ball better than anticipated, though he was still a pretty average shooter from beyond the arc.  However, Reddish was not a very efficient shooter overall, still committed more turnovers than collected assists, and while he made some defensive plays, he will still need to improve his on-ball defense.

Reddish may not be the point forward he was once thought or billed to be, and he’s consistently been a very inconsistent shooter over the years.  It’s uncertain if Reddish will reach the high ceiling he was hoped to have initially as a prospect for the NBA. He is a physically gifted player who is still learning the league.  At the very least, he’ll get plenty of minutes with the Hawks next season, and hopefully he can have a better season in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Rotation player with the Atlanta Hawks
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars (3 stars potential)

PG Jeff Teague – C (C+ with Minnesota, C- with Atlanta)

2020 (TOT): 59 GP, 10.9 PPG, 5.2 APG, 2.4 RPG, 44 FG%, 37 3PT%, 87 FT%, 24.8 MPG, 14.6 PER, 2.5 WS
2020 (MIN): 34 GP, 13.2 PPG, 6.1 APG, 2.6 RPG, 45 FG%, 38 3PT%, 87 FT%, 27.8 MPG, 15.9 PER, 2.1 WS
2020 (ATL): 25 GP, 7.7 PPG, 4.0 APG, 2.2 RPG, 41.2 FG%, 33.3 3PT%, 89 FT%, 20.8 MPG, 12.2 PER, 0.4 WS

The one-time All-Star is an athletic point guard that can shoot and score the basketball, and he also can rack up plenty of assists at the point.  However, he didn’t quite shoot as well in less minutes in Atlanta, and he also can be quite turnover prone.  He also struggled defensively, and he will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.  It’s uncertain if Atlanta will bring him back, but he would project into a backup point guard if they do for 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Backup point guard in the NBA
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

C Damian Jones – B-

2020 (ATL): 55 GP, 5.6 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 68 FG%, 16.1 MPG, 15.6 PER, 2.8 WS

Damian Jones is an athletic center that excelled as a finisher around the basket, and he also excelled as a shot blocker and defender for his team this year.  Jones will need to improve his passing ability and rebounding, but his ability to make shots efficiently and protect the rim could allow him to be the team’s backup center in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Backup center either on Atlanta or another team in the NBA
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

F-C Skal Labissiere – B- (B- with the Blazers, Incomplete with the Hawks)

2020 (POR): 33 GP, 5.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 55 FG%, 17.2 MPG, 15.4 PER, 1.4 WS

He is an athletic big man that made shots efficiently with the Blazers, and he also excelled as a rebounder and interior defender in his brief time with them this season.  On the downside, Labissiere doesn’t shoot the ball nearly enough, he will need to improve his three-point shot, and he is also very foul prone in games.  Certainly, he is talented enough to get minutes somewhere, but he will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season, Atlanta did not play him at all after they traded to get him, and he missed a lot of time due to a left knee injury.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Backup center in the NBA
Projected 2021 Rating: 2 stars

Side note: will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

C Bruno Fernando – C

2020 (ATL): 56 GP, 4.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.3 BPG, 52 FG%, 12.7 MPG, 11.9 PER, 0.8 WS

Bruno Fernando had a decent rookie season, as he showed the ability to finish plays around the basket, rebounded the ball well, and was an underrated passer on the court.  He will need to improve his shooting stroke, and he will also need to improve his defense, as he did not block as many shots as expected this year .  Still, Fernando played better as the year went on, and he is a very athletic big man that could be poised to be the team’s backup center next season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars (2 star potential)

F DeAndre’ Bembry – C-

2020 (ATL): 43 GP, 5.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 46 FG%, 23 3PT%, 54 FT%, 21.3 MPG, 9.6 PER, 0.2 WS

DeAndre’ Bembry is an athletic point forward that possesses solid playmaking skills, and he also is a solid rebounder and defender.  However, he really struggles to shoot or score the basketball, to the point that it negates his impact on the other facets of the game.  He also missed considerable time due to a wrist injury.  Bembry will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season, and it is uncertain if the Hawks will bring him back for the 2021 campaign.  If so, he could compete for a spot in Atlanta’s rotation next year.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

Side note: will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

C Dewayne Dedmon – D

2020 (TOT): 44 GP, 5.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.9 BPG, 40 FG%, 17.6 MPG, 9.4 PER, 0.1 WS
2020 (SAC): 34 GP, 5.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 40 FG%, 15.9 MPG, 8.5 PER, -0.1 WS
2020 (ATL): 10 GP, 8.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 39 FG%, 23.3 MPG, 11.4 PER, 0.2 WS

Dewayne Dedmon is a defensive-minded center that plays for the Atlanta Hawks.  He is coming off his worst year in a long time, as he really struggled to make shots on offense, and he also struggled to pass or handle the ball this season.  He excelled as a rebounder and shot blocker this past season, but it didn’t offset his woeful offensive output in 2020.  He’ll need to play better, especially on offense, to ensure a place in Atlanta’s rotation in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Backup center on the Atlanta Hawks
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

G-F Treveon Graham – D (D- with Minnesota, C- with Atlanta)

2020 (TOT): 55 GP, 4.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 36 FG%, 28 3PT%, 64 FT%, 16.9 MPG, 6.6 PER, 0.2 WS
2020 (MIN): 33 GP, 5.2 PPG, 3 RPG, 0.9 APG, 35 FG%, 24 3PT%, 73 FT%, 20.1 MPG. 6 PER, 0.1 WS
2020 (ATL): 22 GP, 3.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.7 APG, 37 FG%, 35 3PT%, 47 FT%m 12,1 MPG, 8 PER, 0.1 WS

Treveon Graham had a fairly good second year in 2018 with the Charlotte Hornets, as he had made 41% of his threes that season, but he’s struggled to replicate that ever since.  He has not made over 30% of his threes since the 2017-18 season, and the journeyman has bounced around in hopes to provide different teams with floor spacing without much success.  

On the plus side, he is a satisfactory rebounder, and he poses the threat of being able to make outside shots, but hasn’t really played well in the past two seasons.  When he is on his game, he is a low-volume, spot-up shooter that competes defensively, and he has the capacity to excel as a 3 and D type of role player in the NBA.  Right now, he might be good enough to get a minimum contract that would be partially guaranteed, but Graham hasn’t exactly proven that he can stay in a team’s rotation after having played well in the 2017-18 NBA season.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Depth wing player, fringe roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

Side note: will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

PG Brandon Goodwin – C-

2020 (ATL): 34 GP, 6.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.5 APG, 40 FG%, 30 3PT%, 93 FT%, 12.6 MPG, 11.6 PER, 0.1 WS

Brandon Goodwin is an athletic combo guard that received plenty of playing time, and he showed off some playmaking and rebounding skills this year.  He will need to improve his outside shot and defense, and he will need to look for his teammates more on offense.  It’s uncertain if he can get this much playing time on Atlanta next year, but he’ll compete for a spot in their team’s rotation.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Fringe rotation player, backend roster player

Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

G-F Vince Carter – D+

2020 (ATL): 60 GP, 5.0 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 35 FG%, 30 3PT%, 79 FT%, 14.6 MPG, 7.5 PER, -0.2 WS

At this stage of his career, Vince Carter was in the NBA mostly for his veteran guidance, and after having played reasonably well in his age 42 season with the Hawks in 2019, he didn’t quite play nearly as well in 2020.  He probably should have joined a contender for a shot at the title this year, but he made his choice.  He will most likely retire at the end of the 2020 season, but if he returns, he could continue to be a veteran mentor to the young guys on the Atlanta Hawks in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Likely will retire at the end of the 2020 season, but depth wing player/backend roster player if he comes back
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

Side note: will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020 season.

G-F Charlie Brown (Two-Way) – D+

2020 (ATL): 10 GP, 2 PPG, 32 FG%, 33 3PT%, 100 FT%, 4 MPG, 11 PER, 0 WS

The 6-6 rookie swingman was a little used reserve that showed the potential to knock down threes and defensive potential with his ability to rack up steals and blocks.  He will need to improve his shot selection, rebounding, and on-ball defense, but Brown might be able to pick up more minutes with the Hawks in 2021.

Projected 2021 Role/Expectations: Depth wing player, fringe roster player
Projected 2021 Rating: 1 stars (2 star potential)

Head Coach:
Lloyd Pierce, 2020 grade: C-
2020 (ATL): 20-47, missed the playoffs
Head Coaching Career: 49-100, has never made the playoffs as an NBA head coach

It’s pretty tough to judge a head coach of a team that is expected to be perennially one of the worst teams in the NBA, and Lloyd Pierce’s Atlanta Hawks teams haven’t been expected to go to the playoffs in his time at the helm so far.  In fact, some can argue that his team meeting their low expectations has helped them be in the running to get high draft picks annually, which could raise the ceiling of their young team’s future.

The Hawks were very bad at making threes and on the defensive end, but they rated in the middle of the pack in making two-point shots, finished a respectable 17^th in assists, and they acquired Clint Capela to anchor their team’s defense to improve on that side of the ball.  Next season will be different though, and for the first in a long time, the Hawks might be expected to make a run for the playoffs in 2021.

The questions are if their other young players surrounding Young, Collins, and Capela will be ready to come close to matching their level of production to help their team get to the playoffs, or if they should make the attempt, considering that the concern is that even if they snag a spot in the postseason, they would face a very tough team in Mami or Milwaukee and could end up getting eliminated in a short time span. 

Regardless, the Atlanta Hawks have a very solid duo in Trae Young and John Collins, and Clint Capela is a solid veteran that will incrementally help aid their struggling defense.  They need more than just Capela to strengthen their defense, and they’ll need others such as Hunter, Huerter, and Reddish to make exponential leaps and improvements and to keep growing as players.  Otherwise, it’s possible that their 2021 season could be a let down if their other young players’ progress stalls in development.

Projected 2021 Role: Head Coach of Atlanta
Projected 2021 Rating: 1.5 stars

2019-20 Atlanta Hawks, season grade: C

It was expected that the Hawks wouldn’t win many games, and they in fact won just 20 of 67 games this past season.  On the other hand, they received tremendous individual performances from Trae Young and John Collins, and those two players could be long-time cornerstones of their franchise for years to come.

Trae Young averaged roughly 30 points and 9 assists per game, as he made 36% of his threes, and he made his first NBA All-Star team in 2020.  The young, star point guard may remind some people of Portland’s superstar point guard, Damian Lillard, and Young is definitely the player the Hawks will be building around this decade.

Third-year big man, John Collins was a bargain as the 19^th pick of the 2017 NBA draft, and he averaged roughly 22 points and 10 rebounds per game, and he also made 58% from the field, and 40% of his three-point shots.  He’s aced virtually every statistical metric that teams look for out of a big man, but the only concern, whether big or small, is his on-ball defense.  He rated as below average in the defensive box, plus-minus, and the Hawks were the worst in points allowed, but he’s got help now that Clint Capela will be coming in to aid their team. 

Kevin Huerter has shown that he can effectively knock down outside shots and distribute the basketball, but rookies De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish looked overwhelmed at times with the defensive responsibilities they were tasked with in games.  Of the two, Hunter has made threes at a higher rate, and looks to be the more polished shooter and defender between the two of them, and the Hawks will need them to continue to develop in order to make their climb up the ranks in the East.

It will be interesting to see who the Atlanta Hawks will take in the 2020 NBA Draft, but given that they already have two big men in John Collins and Clint Capela, and a franchise-level star point guard in Trae Young, I feel like they will most likely take a wing player, or someone that can play either forward position and be a small-ball four if necessary.  The Atlanta Hawks will be looking for a taste of the playoffs in 2021, and with their trade to get Capela, it seems that they are tiring of the rebuild, and want that taste of the postseason.  They have some of the pieces that can help them get there, and if they do, they will consider that a job well done next season.

The Atlanta Hawks’ Projected 2020-21 NBA Rotation

Projected Starters:
C Clint Capela
F John Collins
F De’Andre Hunter
G Kevin Huerter
G Trae Young

Key Reserves:
G-F Cam Reddish
The 6^th Overall Pick of the 2020 NBA Draft
C Damian Jones* (RFA)

Others competing for a spot in the rotation next season:
C Bruno Fernando
C Dewayne Dedmon
G Brandon Goodwin
F Treveon Graham* (UFA)
G Charlie Brown (Two-Way Contract)
The 50^th Overall Pick of the 2020 NBA Draft

Other players that are currently projected to be on their next season’s roster:
N/A

Players that will be Restricted Free Agents:
Damian Jones
De’Andre Bembry
Skal Labissiere

Players that will be Unrestricted Free Agents:
Jeff Teague
Treveon Graham
Vince Carter (will likely retire)

Projected Players Cut from Next Season’s Roster:
None

2020 NBA Draft Picks:
#6, #50

Projected Offseason Plan for the Hawks:
The Atlanta Hawks will be building their team around two of their young, emerging star players in Trae Young and John Collins, and both of them will likely be putting up very good statistics individually for years to come.  They also will be paired with defensive ace and former Houston Rockets center Clint Capela to anchor their team.  However, the Hawks were just atrocious on the defensive end, and it may be asking a lot out of one player (Capela) to suddenly make their bad defense become good.

The Hawks don’t have a whole lot of depth, unfortunately, and they don’t have a whole lot of reliable scoring options outside of Trae Young or John Collins.  Their wing players have plenty of talent, but they haven’t quite found a way to consistently perform or defend at this level yet.  On the plus side, center Damian Jones is coming off of his best season.

Judging from that they have Trae Young, John Collins, and Clint Capela as their three best players, the Atlanta Hawks will likely select a wing player in the 2020 draft to complement them.  With the 6^th overall pick, they will probably look to select a player that would fit the 3 and D archetype or mold, and such players could be Deni Avdija, Tyrese Haliburton, or Devin Vassell, or they could trade down to coup more assets and select someone like Saddiq Bey in the mid first round.

They also theoretically have a lot of cap space to work with, as they have nearly $50 million to spend according to Spotrac.  As the Hawks recently traded to acquire Capela, this signals that they are tiring of the rebuilding process, and that they want to win now.  Therefore, they may be looking to find wing players and other players that could help their second unit.  With a very large amount of cap space, they have a lot of options at their disposal in free agency.

Expected Win-Loss Record in 2021*: 30-42, 10^th seed in the Eastern Conference. 
In this projection, the 2021 Atlanta Hawks would play in the play-in game against the 7^th seeded Indiana Pacers for the right to play against the projected 2021 2^nd seed, the Toronto Raptors.

Expected 2021 Season Outcome: They will make a playoff push, and they will try their hardest to try to snag either the 7^th or 8^th seed in the East.  The Hawks could be a sleeper team for the playoffs in 2021, and they have the talent to win a play-in game, but would then likely lose to a very good team in the first round.

(* – The asterisk denotes that the expected regular season win total is adjusted for the 72 game schedule that the NBA will play for the 2020-21 season.  The initial projection for the Hawks was for them to get 34 wins in an 82-game season.  Also, the projected record does not take into account for the NBA draft or free agency, as those events have not happened yet.)

In case if you need the rubric for my player rating system of projecting NBA players for the 2020-21 season, here is the link. In addition, Basketball-Reference and Spotrac were vital information sites that I used to look at player and team statistics, as well as contract information.

Side note: Also, the letter grades attached to the player name was my grade for their 2019-20 season, as it is my judgment of their performance and whether or not they met or exceeded my expectations, and didn’t have much bearing on my projection of how they will perform for the 2020-21 NBA season.