NBA Hope Index: How far is each team from a ring heading into 2017-18?
22. Atlanta Hawks
It’s telling that the pinnacle of modern history for the Atlanta Hawks was getting swept in the Conference Finals by a Cleveland team that everyone correctly assumed was unbeatable in the East. Those 60 wins and top seed seem like a distant memory now. Only the rubble of that core remains.
The franchise, even during its various upticks, has never been considered a threat to win anything since it’s been in Atlanta. That reality has left the fan base more apathetic than not, and has relegated what should be a prime free agent destination into a third-tier landing spot. Even getting a meeting is huge for them.
Coach Bud gives the team hope, but tanking does not seem to be in his nature. Outside of Dennis Schroeder and Taurean Prince, the roster is bare of upside. They are on the hook for $90 million worth of Kent Bazemore and Miles Plumlee. Jamal Crawford might lead them in scoring.
Still, landing the top pick in either of the next few drafts isn’t out of the question, and they’ll likely end up with both Houston’s (top three protected) and Minnesota’s (lottery protected) first rounders this year. A potentially juicy Cleveland pick awaits them down the line.
Path to Glory: Suck while letting Dennis Schroeder figure out what the hell he is at this level, nab a high pick while packaging the 16th and 25th picks in the draft for a late lottery selection, look like a team on the rise in 2018-19, and stretch Bazemore and Plumlee to fit two max salaries onto the roster.