Atlanta Sports: Hawks, Braves, or Falcons – who is the next championship contender?
Based on all three teams performances in their last seasons, neither the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks or Atlanta Falcons appear to be any closer to winning a championship. Who will be the next championship contender in Atlanta sports?
The least likely Atlanta sports team would be the Atlanta Braves. They are in a total rebuild mode, which optimistically could mean seeing the Braves as a serious contender in a minimum of three to five years.
The other two teams are debatable, based on acquisitions, draft picks and leadership.
Now let’s talk about the Hawks. The Atlanta Hawks are at a crossroads as to what to do with free agents. Do they keep them? Do they sign them? Then the question becomes, who is tradable?
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Free agents will include Kent Bazemore, Kirk Hinrich, Al Horford, Kris Humphries and Mike Muscala. The two that will command the most interest will be Kent Bazemore and Al Horford, who coach Mike Budenholzer has already expressed interest in re-signing.
There are plenty of options out there as far as trading goes. The two players that would generate the most interest would be Jeff Teague and Al Horford.
Then there is the issue of free agent acquisitions. If the team is willing to invest in Dwight Howard or a similar player, then dynamics are changed going forward.
The Atlanta Hawks have a couple of options. They could trade Teague or Horford straight up for another player, or package them for a higher draft pick.
How they handle these players will greatly impact the ultimate success or failure of the Atlanta Hawks.
As for the Atlanta Falcons, after the 2016 NFL Draft, it appears that the Falcons have a distinct plan to approach fixing defensive issues.
While no pass rushers were added to the roster, it looks like coach Dan Quinn plans to fix the defense from the back forward.
Everything that has been said about Keanu Neal, the Falcons‘ first round draft pick, seems to say that Quinn has found the right player for his overall plan.
With the addition of Mohamed Sanu in combination with the big three – Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, and Julio Jones – the Atlanta Falcons may be able to contend in the 2016 season.
Next: Atlanta Braves: Another minor league prospect?
All in all, what the Atlanta Braves are attempting is noble and it may bring them long-term success. Both the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta Hawks, under the right conditions, have the ability to compete for a championship soon. How soon? Brighter days may not be that far off.