East Notes: Hawks, Trae Young, Celtics, Nets, youth

Hawks

As written by Bobby Marks of ESPN, the Hawks enter the season with raised expectations and a couple of major contract questions. No extension has been reached yet with Trae Young, who’s eligible for a four-year, $229 million deal through June 30. Dyson Daniels can sign an extension up until Oct. 20.

Atlanta retooled its roster after last season’s play-in loss to Orlando, adding Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard and rookie Asa Newell.

ESPN BET currently lists the Hawks with the fourth-best odds to win the East, but since 2017-18 they’ve missed the playoffs five times and advanced past the first round only once.

The front office also has decisions to make on Zaccharie Risacher’s third-year team option (due Oct. 31) and potential extensions for Porzingis, Young, Daniels and Mouhamed Gueye.

Celtics

As Marks outlined, the Celtics’ frontcourt looks drastically different. Over a six-week span, they lost Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury, traded Porzingis to Atlanta, saw Luke Kornet sign in San Antonio and watched Al Horford leave for Golden State.

That group combined for 184 starts and averaged 61.3 points per game last season.

Boston relied almost exclusively on Horford, Porzingis and Kornet for postseason center minutes, so the new committee of Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman and Josh Minott will be under the microscope.

Queta’s deal becomes guaranteed Oct. 20, Jordan Walsh’s salary protection increases a day later, and Baylor Scheierman’s third-year option must be picked up by Oct. 31. Extension candidates include Walsh and Anfernee Simons.

Nets

Marks notes that Brooklyn is juggling player development with roster math. The Nets have eight players on first-round rookie deals, including five from this year’s draft — the first time any team has ever made five first-round selections in a single draft.

Sixteen players on the roster are 26 or younger, and with 15 guaranteed contracts, the team will need to make cuts before opening night.

Waiving Jalen Wilson, Tyrese Martin and Drew Timme would take them below the minimum salary floor; they currently sit $1.9 million above it. Brooklyn can either guarantee those deals and waive them, keep them and cut a guaranteed contract, or use some of its $13.6 million in cap space in a trade to meet the floor.

Michael Porter Jr.’s extension deadline is Oct. 20, Wilson’s contract protection increases the following day, and team options for Kobe Bufkin, Dariq Whitehead and Noah Clowney are due Oct. 31.