Five Biggest Takeaways From Hawks GM Onsi Saleh's Pre-Season Press Conference

This season, Jalen Johnson has expectations of taking a leap forward as a player and tapping into his potential. In his press conference, Saleh spoke to the media about his thoughts on Johnson and his feelings about him going forward, as well as this season, stating that he is "fully healthy and ready to roll for camp." This is a fantastic sign for Hawks fans, as Johnson had his season cut short last season after showing his potential in the first half of the season, and Johnson is expected to be a building block for the Hawks' future.

2. Any concerns about Kristaps Porzingis?

Coming into this offseason, many found themselves concerned about Porzingis and his future, as he battled with injuries and a unknown illness. Today, however, Saleh gave insight on the Hawks' decision to trade for Porzingis, stating that "We're super confident in Kristaps' health." Saleh would go on to say that "They're both going to play an integral role for our success this year," when discussing the fit of both Onyeka Okongwu and Porzingis this year at center. There have been questions about who would start at the center position between Porzingis and Okongwu, but Saleh stated he would leave that to the head coach, Quin Snyder.

3. Thoughts on Trae Young helping with filling out the roster and how he see's

Coming into the offseason, things were a bit unclear about Young's future in Atlanta. Recently, there have been no talks of a contract extension for the All-Star. Still, confirmation has been received that this offseason, Young has been actively involved in helping the organization make roster decisions. Specifically, Saleh spoke about Young having roster input this offseason, stating that they've been in communication about adding players, and he was a significant part in the Hawks drafting Asa Newell in the NBA Draft.

4. Where he feels the Hawks can improve and how they built the roster

Following the moves the Hawks made this offseason, many consider this team a potential dark horse contender in the Eastern Conference, as they have a roster that addresses the team's past issues. However, Saleh answered questions about having so many ball handlers on one team, pointing out that when he was with the Golden State Warriors, they didn't have a backup point guard, and they went on to win titles as a result. Stating "We actually have a lot of ball handlers. And we have ball handlers with size as well. We added size in a lot of different areas. We added shooting, more skill. We added guys that are connectors, Luke, Nickeil, Kristaps. All those guys I feel like they're connectors, and what I mean by that is they get everybody involved in different ways. Spacing, respacing. They can play with the ball, without the ball."

5. Thoughts on Trae Young being a leader

Saleh shared his thoughts on Young as a leader, pointing out that Young had proven himself to be a good leader last season and that he feels Young will continue to improve in his role as the team's leader. In years past, Young's leadership was often questioned due to his quiet and lead-by-example nature; however, now that he is entering his eighth season in the NBA, it is expected that he will lead more vocally. Young himself has acknowledged that this is an area where he has improved.

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