ESPN gives Hawks high marks for their offseason

Zach Kram of ESPN has handed out his grades for all 30 teams in the Association, with the Hawks earning some of the highest remarks.

Grade: A-

Depending on how coach Quin Snyder structures his rotation, the Hawks might not have added a single starter this offseason — although they did well to re-sign CJ McCollum to a solid one-year deal — so their short-term ceiling still relies on Jalen Johnson’s development into a star.

They made fairly dramatic upgrades to their bench, however, to meaningfully raise their floor. They acquired Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Devin Carter in salary dump trades, as well as Ryan Nembhard to help stabilize the backcourt.

Though involved in a lot of rumors surrounding All-Star caliber players, the Hawks decided against pushing the issue, and instead focused on improving the margins. This is a team that’s significantly better than the one they ended the season with — adding multiple first-round picks through the draft in Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor, and improving their depth with trades for Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort, who cost next to nothing to acquire.

Defensively, the Hawks are set up to be a nightmare for opposing teams, but their ceiling will ultimately hinge on the continued development of their young core. They need Jalen Johnson to take the next step into superstar territory, and there are high hopes for 8th overall pick Kingston Flemings, who should make an immediate impact from day one.

However, the most attractive aspect of the Hawks’ offseason is how it sets them up for the future. Onsi Saleh has put the team in an ideal position to go after the next superstar who becomes available. Atlanta doesn’t have a single bad contract on the books — and Lu Dort, CJ McCollum, and Jock Landale are all on expiring deals that are easily moveable to facilitate a big swing.

While it may not have been the most exciting offseason, this was probably the right route for the Hawks to take. There are still plenty of unknowns surrounding their young core, especially as they welcome in a new rookie class with a ton of upside. In a few months, or by the end of the season, Onsi Saleh and company will have a much better idea of exactly what they need to compete for a championship — and they’ll be in a perfect position to aggressively pursue whoever they desire.