The Atlanta Hawks are still figuring out what exactly they are after reshaping their roster, but the early returns since acquiring CJ McCollum show that Quin Snyder's developed offensive hierarchy is starting to yield results. The Jalen Johnson-led team has won two of its first three games following the NBA All-Star break and is on a relatively improving schedule. From February 23 to March 30, the Hawks play only five road games. Of the 14 domestic contests during that span, seven rivals are already focused on improving their NBA Draft Lottery odds.
Winning the Eastern Conference's sixth seed and avoiding the NBA Play-In Tournament altogether after trading Trae Young is still a long shot. Still, a new starting lineup of Dyson Daniels, Nickell Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu has provided offensive balance without sacrificing too much defense. McCollum is the only real goal-pointer, but the other four are doing a good job of protecting the rim and keeping opponents out of the paint. For example, the ninth-ranked Hawks (28-31) have shown improvement in points allowed in the paint over their last five games.
This shows that this team is still playing with pride and commitment to improvement. Given the schedule, the win is a must. Snyder really believes they can pull off some postseason upsets, especially if McCollum performs well in some key games.
"We're in a little bit of a battle. We've played without a point guard this season, and we've played without a pure center this season. So the influx of a guy like C.J. who gives us another ball handler, another pick and roll player can be really valuable to everybody," Snyder explained. "We're going through the process of integrating those guys, and we'll keep grinding."
Although the offensive hierarchy is still a work in progress, Snyder is measuring success beyond the win column.
"I'm really more focused on how we're playing, how we're growing and how we're coming together," Snyder said. "We want to win every game, but to a certain extent. Whenever your team changes you have to face some difficult situations. Hopefully, we will play in such a way that we can repeat it and be successful."
The Hawks, no longer employing Young, are operating without a single traditional floor general. Instead, Snyder has distributed playmaking duties throughout the roster, a change he described as born out of circumstance. What has emerged is a multi-lead approach to playmaking that distributes creation across the roster rather than routing everything through a single lead guard.
CJ McCollum helps Hawks
A 22-year-old Australian has been the most visible example of that development. Originally acquired for his defense, Dyson Daniels has become the primary ball handler due to circumstance and according to Snyder, he has embraced the challenge.
Snyder said, "Necessity can be the mother of invention." "Dyson has really grown into that (point guard) role, which has been great to see him progress. He's making plays for other guys, handling the ball and guarding that position. (Daniels) has really taken on that role for us and grown as a player."
Johnson has been allowed to stick to what's comfortable, with great success. Thankfully, the Hawks already have their own young face of the franchise, share a clear development plan, and now know how to best utilize future MVP-caliber talent.
"Jalen, again, is unique in his ability to pass and handle the ball, especially in the open court. (Johnson) isn't in a position where we're asking him to run the team, but there's a lot of things we do where he's the starter with the ball," Snyder admitted. "We've put him in pick-and-rolls like any other player. That's a big key for us. That versatility with multiple players and multiple playmakers is something we really value for us and we try to take advantage of that. Jalen is at the top of that list."
The result is a crime without rigid hierarchy. Daniels organizes the attack, Johnson initiates the action from the frontcourt, and McCallum provides the scoring punch. Nichelle Alexander-Walker paints a picture of playmaking as an unconventional but effective contributor. Snyder has encouraged the 26-year-old guard to be more aggressive over the next few months.
“As far as playmaking, you know (Alexander-Walker) can get into the lane,” Snyder said. "He's not your typical playmaker, but I think he's unselfish and he's willing to get off the ball when he's blocked... We've tried to encourage him to be really aggressive in shooting. Even some contested shots from three."
With McCollum adding another reliable pick-and-roll operator and an experienced scoring option from the wing, Snyder's rotation is generating enough offense to remain competitive, even as the roster is holding its own. With a softer schedule ahead and a newly formed offensive identity, the Hawks are betting that need-driven invention leads to the NBA Playoffs. That test will show the front office what it takes to chase a top-four seed next season.
