After being eliminated in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, the Atlanta Hawks felt like they had to make a big move. They had fallen well short of expectations after reaching the Conference Finals in 2021 and made a splash this past offseason.
They acquired Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs to form a terrific backcourt with Trae Young, but despite both of them having good seasons, not a lot has changed. The Hawks are 25-26 at the moment, which was their record after 51 games last season as well. Murray though, believes they can be a top 3 team in the Eastern Conference when he was asked what the Hawks would be at their peak.
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“The talent we have and just everything around, if we could put it together, I think we’re top 3 team in the East. I really believe that. Obviously, I ain’t gonna sit here and say, ‘Oh we’re gonna win the championship.’ That’s what I want to do and if that’s not the end goal for you in basketball, I don’t know why you play it.”
If they could put it all together, then maybe they could be a top 3 team but it is hard to say that for sure, considering all the great teams in the East at the moment. Murray does have the right mindset here but it seems inevitable at this point, that the season will end in disappointment.
Trae Young’s Future With The Hawks Is Uncertain
Dark clouds have been hovering over the team for a while now because of the situation with Young. He was reportedly involved in an altercation with head coach Nate McMillan earlier this season and since then, it has come out that he isn’t a very popular figure in the locker room.
That led to reports that Trae could seek a trade after this campaign. Chris Haynes was the first to come out on the topic and he then stated last month that it all depends on how this season pans out. If the Hawks do put it together and show that they are an elite team in the East, as Murray thinks they can be, then Trae might not want to leave. At the end of the day, we have seen it happen time and time again that winning solves all problems.
Source: fadeawayworld
