The current Hawks roster is not to different from the one that went to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. The results, however, have been vastly different since that outing. The Hawks barely made the playoffs last year, and are off to a similar start nearly halfway through this season. So if the roster is the same what what seems to be the problem.
One area of this franchise that has gone through some changes since that series against the Bucks is the coaching staff. Nate McMillan took over the team after Lloyd Pierce was fired, but kept most of Pierce's staff for the rest of that season. Since 2021, there has been a lot of turnover on that staff. One of the biggest pieces the Hawks' coaching staff lost is Chris Jent, and it might be LeBron James' fault.
Robb Tribble spoke during the "Jon Chuckery Show' on the impact of Chris Jent, who was well known and revered for his ability to develop young talent, something the Hawks are littered with.
After spending five years in Atlanta, Jent departed during the offseason to head to Los Angeles. So, where does LeBron fit into all of this? As Tribble pointed out Chris Jent was James' personal shooting coach back during his first stint with the Cavaliers.
Similar to the Hawks, the Lakers did not have a successful 2021-2022 season. After dealing with some turmoil it stand to reason why LeBron would want to bring someone along that he has had success with and feels comfortable around.
The move has not meant much for the Lakers' "team success" but LeBron continues to blow the league away with his spectacular play at his age. For the Hawks, while there is still another half of the season to go, it sure seems like Jent's presence is missed.