The Atlanta Hawks Futures Odds (BetDSI Sportsbook)
Atlanta Hawks to win the Southeast Division: +2500
Atlanta Hawks to win the Eastern Conference: +25000
Atlanta Hawks to win the NBA Championship: +100000
Atlanta Hawks Total Win Prediction: Total 26.5 (Over -120, Under -110)
The Atlanta Hawks had a pretty decent season last year as they finished in the 5th position in the Eastern Conference, after recording 43 victories. They ended behind the Washington Wizards in the Southeast Division, and the Wizards defeated them in the opening round of the playoffs in six games. Following drastic changes this summer, the Hawks will likely battle with Orlando and Brooklyn at the bottom of the East.
Atlanta lost Paul Millsap to Denver Nuggets this offseason but failed to bring in the high profile reinforcement, so Dennis Schroder emerged as the leader of this team. Dwight Howard also left and joined the Charlotte Hornets, and although Kent Bazemore and Ersan Ilyasova will likely run the floor for the Hawks alongside Schroder, the Hawks are not looking good at the moment, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they end in the last position in the East.
It seems that the previous season was the last chance for the Hawks to make something big in this decade, but that is in the past now, and they should turn to the future, even though it doesn’t look very bright for them.
Read on to find out more about the Atlanta Hawks offseason moves and the 2017/2018 futures and props brought to you by BetDSI Sportsbook. Also, don’t forget to visit our Get More Sports website for more NBA teams season previews.
The 2017/2018 Atlanta Hawks Roster
Arrivals: Luke Babbitt, Nicolas Brussino, John Collins, Dewayne Dedmon, Tyler Dorsey, Marco Belinelli, Miles Plumlee.
Departures: Dwight Howard, Mike Dunleavy, Jose Calderon, Tim Hardaway Jr., Ryan Kelly, Paul Millsap, Thabo Sefolosha, Khris Humphries.
The Atlanta Hawks selected John Collins with the 19th pick overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, and the power forward earned All-Summer League First Team honors while playing for the Hawks in the 2017 NBA Summer League. Collins averaged 15.4 ppg and 9.2 rpg in 23.1 mpg, while he made it to the First-team All-ACC in 2017, averaging 19.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 1.6 bpg in 26.6 mpg for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Atlanta took the shooting guard Tyler Dorsey with the 41st pick overall, and he will serve as the No. 3 option at the SG position, behind Bazemore and Belinelli. Dorsey represented the Oregon Ducks in the previous two years, while in 2016/17, he averaged 14.6 ppg and 3.5 rpg in 30.0 mpg. The Hawks also selected Alpha Kaba with the 60th pick overall, but the Frenchman will stay in his country and play for ASVEL in 2017/18.
Luke Babbitt came to Atlanta after spending the 2016/17 season with the Miami Heat, but he failed to leave the mark while in Florida. Babbitt averaged just 4.8 ppg in 15.7 mpg, so I don’t expect him to have a significant role with the Hawks. The former New Orleans Pelican is listed behind Ersan Ilyasova and ahead of the rookie Collins on the depth chart. Nicolas Brussino didn’t experience the best of time in his rookie year with the Dallas Mavericks, and they decided to waive him as a result. The Argentinean small forward can get a solid amount of minutes in 2017/18 as his competitors for the SF place are Taurean Prince and DeAndre’ Bembry.
Dewayne Dedmon was a backup center with the San Antonio Spurs, and although he averaged 5.1 ppg and 6.5 rpg in 17.5 mpg, he will be the Hawks next starting center, ahead of Miles Plumlee and Mike Muscala in the pecking order. Dedmon is 28, and he never got a real chance to showcase his talents, so I suppose he will get enough opportunities in Atlanta so the former Orlando Magic can become a quite useful player for the Hawks. Marco Belinelli and Miles Plumlee were included in a trade that saw Dwight Howard going to the Charlotte Hornets. The Italian shooting guard averaged 10.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, and 2.0 apg in 24.0 mpg, and he is listed as the No. 2 option at the SG position behind Bazemore but will represent a solid sixth man off the bench. Miles Plumlee accomplished absolutely nothing in his first five years in the NBA, even though he showcased encouraging form while at Phoenix in 2013/14. Last season, Plumlee played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets but struggled for playing time, and his contribution was rather miserable. Like Dedmon, he has a chance to get his career back on track with the Hawks, where the competition for the center position is not tough
| PG | SG | SF | PF |
C |
| Dennis Schroder | Kent Bazemore | Taurean Prince | Ersan Ilyasova | Dewayne Dedmon |
| Malcolm Delaney | Marco Belinelli | DeAndre’ Bembry | Luke Babbitt | Miles Plumlee |
| Tyler Dorsey | Nicolas Brussino | John Collins | Mike Muscala | |
Jose Calderon spent the 2016/17 with the Hawks, but the veteran point guard averaged only 14.5 mpg and 3.6 ppg, so his departure cannot be considered as a handicap for Atlanta. However, that cannot be said for Tim Hardaway Jr., who returned to the New York Knicks after spending the previous two years in Georgia. The 25-year-old shooting guard averaged career highs in points (14.5), rebounds (2.8), and minutes per game (27.3), and his presence would certainly help this Atlanta team.
Ryan Kelly, Kris Humphries, and Mike Dunleavy were just fringe players, and the Hawks can do better without them, but Thabo Sefolosha’s departure will be felt in Atlanta, mostly because of his excellent defense. Sefolosha played for the Hawks in last three seasons, while in 2016/17, he averaged 7.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, and 1.5 spg in 25.7 mpg.
Still, the Hawks will find it very hard to cope with the loss of Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard, especially comparing the current frontcourt which is one of the weakest in the NBA. Millsap became a fan favorite during his four-year stay in Atlanta, and in 2016/17, he averaged 18.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, and 1.3 spg in 34.0 mpg. The four-time All-Star power forward left for Denver, where he joined a quite talented squad, which is a surely right move at this point in his career. Although he is not the player who once scored around 20 points per game along with 15 rebounds, Howard had a decent campaign in 2016/17, averaging 13.5 ppg, 12.7 rpg, and 1.2 bpg in 29.7 mpg. He played in Atlanta for only one season, but comparing him with the centers they have now, the Hawks are looking pretty funny. Howard will continue his career with the Charlotte Hornets – the team with real playoff aspirations.
Atlanta did manage to keep Ersan Ilyasova and extend his contract for another year, and that could prove to be a good piece of business because there are no plenty better players than him on this Hawks roster. He will be the No. 2 man after Schroder, and although he will not average a double-double per contest, Ilyasova’s adroitness in the offense will be quite helpful. The Turkish international averaged 13.1 ppg and 5.9 rpg in 2016/17, representing three teams – Oklahoma, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. Mike Muscala also stayed with the team and will play his fifth year in Atlanta, where he failed to impress thus far. Last season, he averaged 6.2 ppg and 3.4 rpg in 17.7 ppg, but I expect him to receive around 25 minutes per match in 2017/18.
Atlanta’s starting five is among the worst ones in the league, and their fans will expect a lot from the point guard Dennis Schroder, who suddenly became a leader of this team. Bazemore, Ilyasova, and Belinelli are all good players and can contribute, but I expect the Hawks to struggle this year.
The Bottom Line and Total Win Prediction
I don’t want to sound harsh, but in my opinion, the Hawks are the biggest favorites to finish the season in the 30th place overall, and they should consider themselves lucky if they manage to record 30 wins in 2017/18. However, I don’t think that will happen; the team is clearly in transition, they’re rebuilding, and it is normal for the franchise to have a weak year or two. That’s why is important to invest your money wisely and take the BetDSI Sportsbook offer, as they set the number of seasons wins at 26.5. Naturally, with all of this disarray in the squad and lack of talent, going with under should be a great decision, so I can suggest you take this opportunity and make a profit on account of the sorry Hawks.
Season total wins: 26.5 Under (-110)
