The 2010-11 Atlanta Hawks will appear a lot like they did final season and that's sort of a great news/undesirable news situation.
Atlanta was capable to keep Joe Johnson, but the Hawks had to hand him a ridiculous contract to do so: six many years, $124 million. A lot of professionals ridiculed this as the worst contract in the league. Is Johnson a great player? No doubt, as he averaged 21.three points per game last year and has averaged at least 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in each of his past 5 seasons.
But is Johnson truly a $20 million-plus a year player (much more than LeBron)? It wouldn't seem so, specially following he tanked in Atlanta's embarrassing 2nd-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Orlando Magic. Johnson averaged just 11.eight points per game and shot 29.five % from the field in that series. But the Hawks genuinely didn't have significantly of a option since teams like the Knicks, Bulls, Heat and Mavericks were after Johnson. Still, most folks would tell you Johnson isn't even the greatest player on the Hawks - Josh Smith is.
An additional contract problem could be a dilemma with this group in 2010-11. Jamal Crawford, acquired by Atlanta in a trade with Golden State final summer, will make $ten.1 million in the last year of his contract. He would like an extension beyond 2010-11 right after winning the NBA's Sixth Man Award and helping the Hawks to 53 victories and the No. three playoff seed in the East. If Crawford doesn't get his deal he most most likely will demand a trade.
The team does not seem likely to give him a deal since he plays the identical position as Johnson and the Hawks drafted prospective replacement Jordan Crawford (no relation). Locking in All-Star center Al Horford to an extension is now the club's leading priority. Horford has enhanced his points, minutes and shooting percentages each and every year due to the fact getting into the league.
In spite of enhancing Atlanta's record for the fifth year in a row, Coach Mike Woodson was shown the door soon after Orlando won that playoff series by an common margin of 25 points per game. The Hawks replaced Woodson by hiring assistant Larry Drew on the low-cost. Drew has implemented a motion offense created to make the Hawks less predictable on that end of the floor. Perhaps that will aid Mike Bibby, who regressed large time final year immediately after acquiring a 3-year extension. Bibby had the worst season of his career, averaging 9.1 points and 3.9 assists per game, and he isn't a very excellent defensive player at all. He could shed his work sooner rather than later to Jeff Teague.
The 2010-11 Atlanta Hawks schedule opens on Oct. 27 at Memphis.
Atlanta Hawks: Offseason Moves
Other than drafting Jordan Crawford the only other moves of note have been signing veteran big males Etan Thomas and Josh Powell. Neither will start out but each will assist spell Horford at occasions. The Hawks still are 1 of the smallest teams in the league in the frontcourt. The Hawks also traded Josh Childress to Phoenix for a 2012 second-round choose. Atlanta also received a $three.6 million trade exception.
2010-11 Atlanta Hawks Futures Odds
Atlanta is +3000 to win the NBA title, +2000 to win the Eastern Conference, +1000 to reach the East Finals.
2010-11 Atlanta Hawks NBA Picks
Searching for a trend? Here's pretty significantly all you need to know about the Hawks: Considering that reaching the conference finals in their very first year in Atlanta, the Hawks have produced the second round of the playoffs 14 distinct occasions and lost all 14 of them, like sweeps the past two seasons. And that's genuinely in all probability the ceiling for this team: the 2nd round of the playoffs.
Atlanta was rather lucky just to get there final year, barely squeaking by a Bucks team in the 1st round that was with no an injured Andrew Bogut. With teams like the Bulls and Heat receiving much better and the Bucks finding Bogut back, Atlanta won't finish with the third-best conference record once again. I'd project about 48 wins, third in the Southeast Division, a sixth playoff seed and a initially-round playoff exit.
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