Analyst Lists The No. 1 Change the Hawks Should Make This Season To Improve

Atlanta is 13-12 and just recently had their six-game winning streak snapped by the Denver Nuggets

Dec 2, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) drives past New Orleans Pelicans guard Elfrid Payton (22) in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks had their six-game winning streak snapped on Sunday vs the Denver Nuggets, but they have been one of the hottest teams in the league over the past month. They have beaten the Cavaliers twice, the Celtics on the road, the Knicks, and ended the Bucks seven-game winning streak. They got as high as 5th place in the Eastern Conference, but the loss to the Nuggets bounced them back to 7th. The biggest games are yet to come for the Hawks though, as they are set to face the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals tomorrow night in their biggest game of the season.

While the Hawks have been playing well, they have not been perfect. Bleacher Report analyst Grant Hughes listed what he thought should be the No. 1 thing the Hawks improve on this year and change:

"Trae Young's usage rate is already at a career low, and the emergence of Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels as secondary playmakers should encourage the Atlanta Hawks to explore an even more egalitarian offensive setup.

After all, wasn't that a major selling point when head coach Quin Snyder took over?

The very best offensive version of the Hawks still includes a ton of on-ball reps for Young, one of the best passers and most dangerous off-the-dribble shooters in the league. But he simply hasn't been his best self this season, as evidenced by the highest turnover rate and second-worst true shooting percentage of his career.

Meanwhile, Johnson is blossoming as a shot-creator, and Daniels' iffy shooting means he's more of a problem for defenses if he's handling the rock. The Hawks should experiment with Young off the ball more, at least until he returns to form."

This has been evident for most of the season and it is reflected in Young's low scoring totals. He has been one of the top playmakers in the NBA and currently leads the league in assists at 12.2 per game. The Hawks have been playing team basketball this season and they have perfected it over the last seven or so games. This team has plenty of ways to keep improving and that should be scary for the rest of the NBA.

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