Nobody expected the Atlanta Hawks to be here.
Even the most pessimistic pundits wouldn’t have suggested that the 2023-24 team would be 12-18 and out of the top-10 in the East this summer without serious injury issues. And while I’d be remiss to not mention the 14 games Jalen Johnson missed due to a wrist injury, not many pegged him having quite this level of importance to the team prior to the season.
And yet, here they are in the precarious position of not making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. This despite multiple recent moves meant to push the Hawks towards contention — the least of which not being the trading for and extending of Dejounte Murray.