Prior to the 2016-2017 NBA season, the good people of ESPN judged the Atlanta Hawks harshly when it came to the future. That judgment was put forth in a No. 23 overall power ranking (down from No. 15) for the future and, on Thursday, the 2017-2018 edition came to light with yet another precipitous drop.
Kevin Pelton and Bobby Marks of ESPN Insider put together this year’s crop and the Hawks came in at No. 28 overall, ahead of only the Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls.
Stuck in the middle is an unwelcome place in the NBA today.