Atlanta Hawks: It’s A New Era In The NBA
The Atlanta Hawks are focusing on a rebuild that is focused completely on youth.
You’re cordially invited the a new era in the National Basketball Association, and it is one that will be filled with super teams across the board. Now before we get this going the elephant must be addressed in the room. For years, fans have debated about which teams inception changed the NBA’s structure of a free for all, to superstars joining forces for the sake of “winning rings.”
Personally, in 2007 when the Boston Celtics formed the “big three” with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen the league just began to feel different. I mean how couldn’t it? The historic playoff series between the goliath-like Celtics and the sub .500 Atlanta Hawks featuring Joe Johnson just seemed so special. It was the changing of the guard in the NBA, and the Hawks were standing in the way, but the talent on the Celtics roster just proved to be too much.
Fast forward to 2010 where James stunned the NBA world announcing he would be heading to Miami. The Miami Heat consisting of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh shook up the Eastern Conference, because I mean when was the last time a team in the East was a complete lock to win the conference before preseason even got underway. Yes, LeBron is the greatest player on this earth right now, but don’t forget the fact that his Cavalier teams were never a for sure Conference Champion need I remind you of the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic.
Finally, did the formation of the current Golden State Warriors team finally force owners hands and wallets to compete in todays league? The answer is an astounding yes.
The Warriors arguably catapulted this “new era” of the NBA, and this leads us to the issue that is currently happening across the league. With free agency here the league is about to get a whole lot messier, but very intriguing.
With Chris Paul heading to Houston to join forces with James Harden a new super team is forming in the Lonestar State, and more moves are on the way. According to Chris Roling of Bleacher Report, the Phoenix Suns who have been irrelevant since the departure of Steve Nash are now in the running for Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap. With plenty of cap space in the budget the Suns have the makings of a playoff team if this goes through.
Finally, the departure of Jimmy Butler from Chicago to Minnesota will certainly be giving fans something more to talk about than how unbelievably cold it is outside. The teaming up of Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler, and Karl Anthony-Towns is going to turn some heads this fall.
So what’s my point? Why does all of this even matter for the Hawks? This matters because our beloved Atlanta Hawks rebuild is not going to be any old rebuild. After trading Dwight Howard to Charlotte, and possibly losing Millsap to free agency “The Highlight Factory” may be heading back to the drawing board for the unforeseeable future.
All of these teams forming across the NBA is not going to show a dip in the ratings, but rather create excitement. Remember as a kid when you had those dream matches of certain WWE wrestlers getting into the ring together, and facing off for the first time? Well, we’re about to have a lot of dream matchups this upcoming season.
While it may take a while for the Hawks to compete in this new era it certainly be filled with fireworks. Who knows, maybe this Hawks squad could matchup in the first round with the Celtics, and maybe, just maybe rediscover the magic from that 2007-08 season.