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Atlanta Hawks Owe Minnesota A Hearty Hello And Thank You

By W. M. Lawson

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 30: Mike Budenholzer of the Atlanta Hawks reacts during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena on November 30, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 30: Mike Budenholzer of the Atlanta Hawks reacts during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena on November 30, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Hawks (24-58) finally had their regular season end. Like most bad teams, they are looking directly to the NBA Draft. Minnesota just helped that cause.

Full disclosure: I stopped watching our beloved Atlanta Hawks months ago. Just couldn’t do it. The 24 wins on the year marks the second lowest win total for a season since the franchise moved to Atlanta in the late 1960’s. It was too painful, and frankly, irritating, to watch what they’ve done to that roster. A team that won 60 games just a few short years ago. But the first bit of good news in a long while befell the Hawks this week when the Minnesota Timberwolves ended their season with a win, subsequently handing ATL another 1st Round pick this year in the NBA Draft. It’s a big deal.

Atlanta, and new General Manager Travis Schlenk, now have 3 First Round Draft picks in the coming NBA Draft. That’s a veritable bevy of possible talent infusion in the making. The lottery pick is a result of being so awful. The mid-round pick comes via the Minnesota gift. The late round pick comes via a trade with Houston some years back.

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There is no way Atlanta will wind up with the Number 1 overall pick. It just doesn’t work that way. Call it collusion and corruption from the league that favors other teams and cities, or the basketball gods smirking and laughing, or a mixture of both, but this writer can’t believe it.

A top 3 pick, though, coupled with those other two picks, and a high 2nd Round pick, could very well be the booster shot that this sick franchise needs.

In fact, the entire landscape of this franchise will look different in the next few months. Head Coach Mike Budenholzer looks to be leaving. He’s been a quality coach, but under his leadership, there have been terrible personnel and draft decisions. It’s just a fact.

Reality is that Schlenk, and whoever his brain trust is, will get to take a scalpel to this team, and it will be a sharp one. Budenholzer, who was once HC and President of Basketball Operations, with that last title having been removed, might not like being in the passenger seat for this transition drive.

That’s what Schlenk was brought in to do, though. His Bona Fides rest in what he supposedly helped accomplish at Golden State, mainly through the identification and acquisition of talent and at low cost. Hopefully, John Collins is a harbinger of that astute ability.

If he truly was integral to that process, and can replicate some of that success and ability in Atlanta, this team should look a lot better than 24 wins in the next couple of years. If not, he’ll own it.

Next: Atlanta Braves Five Reasons They Can Compete in 2018

Either way, our Atlanta Hawks owe the Minnesota T-wolves a “Minnesota Nice” thank you. That mid-round 1st Round pick could wind up being incredibly important in Atlanta moving forward.

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