The Atlanta Hawks have made a genuine splash in the offseason. With Trae Young driving the team’s roster construction efforts, the Hawks have made a tremendous free agency acquisition by signing Luke Kennard to a one-year, $11 million deal.
The Hawks’ disappointing performance last season will appear to be a relic of the past as the team effectively kicks off its reconstruction project. With their star’s influence on personnel selection, Atlanta has already made some sizeable upgrades while letting go of some relatively underperforming elements.
This offseason has undoubtedly been a fruitful one for the Hawks. After trading for Kristaps Porzingis, Atlanta effectively signaled their intentions to rise through the ranks of the East. The pairing of Young and Porzingis already made for a solid one-two punch, but in addition to this, the team has added significant depth in free agency as well.
The last few hours have seen serious efforts in cultivating the Hawks’ wing depth, with the acquisition of Nickeil Alexander-Walker paving the way. Now, with sharpshooting guard Luke Kennard also joining the side, Atlanta boasts an extremely potent perimeter shooting rotation.
Kennard has been one of the premier three-point shooters in the NBA over the past couple of seasons. During his last campaign with the Memphis Grizzlies, the guard recorded an average of 8.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on shooting splits of 47.8% from the field and 43.3% from three-point range.
The 29-year-old guard is a more-than-ideal fit on this Atlanta roster. While it is highly unlikely that he will play a role in the starting rotation, he would be a vital floor-spacing threat off the bench. When also considering how capable Young is of finding open teammates on the perimeter, Kennard could expect a lot of service in Atlanta, with the onus falling upon him to make the most of the opportunity.
The franchise’s signings this offseason see them quickly emerge as one of the more intriguing teams in the Eastern Conference. With some of the top teams falling out of favor due to injury troubles, the Hawks may have their chance in the sun yet again.
But considering that Kennard is effectively a rental this season, Atlanta will look to make the most of this opportunity. With Young also locked in for the foreseeable future, the Hawks could look to be relevant for a long time to come.
The opening day of free agency has already seen significant activity. With bigger moves predicted in the near future, the balance of power in the league will continue to shift.
