Atlanta Hawks is one franchise that saw a drastic fall after their sudden rise in the last few years. Just three years ago, Trae Young and Co. made it to the Conference Finals. Before that, the Hawks were the worst team in the league. After Ice Trae’s draft, they were steadily making their way upwards in the East. In his first playoff appearance, Young faced the Greek Freak and the Bucks in the Conference Finals and were blown away with a 4-2 record. However, the following years saw a lack of consistency, raising a red flag.

They welcomed Dejounte Murray in 2022, but things didn’t seem to work out between him and Young. Murray had two productive years in Atlanta but could only help the squad make it to the first round which was the case in the 2023 postseason. Now that they have moved on from the shooting guard, the franchise acquired the first overall pick from the draft and a few assets. Not to mention, they also lost Saddiq Bey, who was a considerable contributor, this offseason.

But what does one make of the Hawks at this point? Are they just a mere Play-In team? Well, with the given roster, ranking in the top 6 doesn’t seem to be a definite possibility. Though, they can still fight for a playoff spot through the Play-In tournament. Not only that, if they are serious about playoff success, they can look to move certain players including 22-year-old Jalen Johnson.

Brian Windhorst recently highlighted Johnson’s future in Atlanta. “Keep an eye on for them, Jalen Johnson. Jalen Johnson is one of the best athletes in the league. Now, they gotta get him into a contract. This is a guy who I think in a different you know three years ago might get the fun max. Okay, this is a big-time prospect… I would say, if you had to rank untouchable players on their roster, he’d rank #1. Even above Risacher,” Windy said on The Hoops Collective.

Jalen Johnson has only played a year as a starter, before which he came off the bench in his second season. He started 52 games last year averaging 16.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting over 51% from the field. Of course, it’s only a season’s worth of data, but the potential is visible. They can move players like Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, and DeAndre Hunter hoping to bring in a superstar.

While Trae Young has had a good few seasons, he doesn’t have anything to show for it, as the Hawks haven’t made a deep playoff run. On the bright side, the Atlanta side has great assets to work with and land superstars beside Trae Young.

Who should the Atlanta Hawks target?

The Hawks can look to target big men to pair with Trae Young. Now, someone like KAT can be of great use, but it is highly unlikely that the Wolves would consider losing him even for multiple assets and a draft-heavy package. Brandon Ingram, if he doesn’t land an extension before June 30th of next year, can be a target. Young could use a center’s help, but a talented forward such as Ingram would do the job just as well. He can shoot, score, and defend on an elite level, also elevating Young’s game.

Another big man could be Jarrett Allen. The Cavs are highly invested in their current roster. But then again, if not Allen, they have Evan Mobley to work within the paint. Besides, they’ll also be receiving Capela and Hunter to balance out the trade. This can be a great deal for the Hawks if can impress the Cleveland front office with additional picks.

For now, the Atlanta Hawks can push themselves past the play-ins. Quite frankly, they’ll find it extremely difficult to finish in the top 6 unless they turn the tide and introduce talent. What are your thoughts? Which player do you want to see play alongside Trae Young? Let us know in the comments.

Feel that you can do with another update from the sport of basketball? Then do check out this recent interview with the up-and-coming Georgia Lady Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.