The Atlanta Hawks and its new General Manager Onsi Saleh are having the most successful offseason in years. After having acquired Kristaps Prozingis and an unprotected pick in next year's NBA Draft, Saleh was active at the start of the league's free agency period to acquire defensive standout Nickeil Alexander-Walker and sharpshooter Luke Kennard. The Steakhouse talked about what these moves mean for the organization in reinvigorating a passionate Hawks fan base.
Hawks fans are more familiar with the feeling of dread this time of year. In recent offseasons, the fan base has held their breath as the team's biggest star in Trae Young has left the door to a potential exit open. This year, according to reports, Young has been an instrumental figure in recruiting the two most recent free agent additions. If the mere acquisitions didn't make it clear, there is crystal clear buy-in from the current roster and staff toward making this season the most successful for the organization since it's run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021.
And for good reason. The perennial contender in the Boston Celtics sold the team off for parts after having lost Jayson Tatum for the season. The most recent Eastern Conference representatives in the NBA Finals lost their best player, Tyrese Haliburton, for next season through injury as well. The landscape in the conference is wide open, and the Hawks are well-positioned to make a run. In fact, as of theis writing, the Hawks are the fourth-favorites among betting markets to emerge from the Eastern Conference.