The Spurs began the season on a tear and are at the moment sitting second within the West standings with a 5-1 report. It’s early, but it surely looks as if the lottery days is perhaps over for San Antonio, which now appears to be like to the postseason.
Due to the incredible Dejounte Murray commerce, nevertheless, there’s a likelihood the Silver and Black might get a excessive choose. The Spurs have swap rights with the Atlanta Hawks, who lately misplaced Trae Younger to an MCL sprain and will likely be reevaluated in 4 weeks.
It’s a troublesome blow for the Hawks, which added veterans to make a push within the wide-open East. They introduced in Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard to affix their star level guard and their younger supporting solid. Just a few video games into the season, they discover themselves with a 2-3 report and an enormous harm to their offensive engine. If the season ended as we speak, Atlanta can be in a five-team tie to get two play-in spots and would have the ninth-best odds on the high choose within the lottery, in keeping with Tankathon. The groups above them embrace the tanking Nets and Wizards, but in addition a Celtics squad that would get Jayson Tatum again this season and the Mavericks, who might get Kyrie Irving again.
The excellent news for Atlanta is that they’ve performed three video games with out Younger, together with the one during which he suffered his harm, and so they have gained two of them. The dangerous information is that these wins got here in opposition to the 0-6 Nets and the 1-6 Pacers. They performed the Cavaliers shut, which is spectacular. Jalen Johnson has been an absolute beast for them, and their protection has unsurprisingly improved with out Younger in matchups in opposition to among the worst groups within the league. However the schedule is about to get harder, with the subsequent 4 video games and 6 of the subsequent 10 in opposition to groups anticipated to make the playoffs or struggle for the play-in. The Hawks might discover themselves in a gap quickly.
Now, the swap rights make it so the Hawks haven’t any incentive to tank. The shallow East might additionally maintain them alive within the play-in and even playoff hunt if they will tread water till Younger returns. As talked about, Johnson has been incredible, and after sluggish begins, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher are trending up. Issues might get attention-grabbing, nevertheless, in the event that they endure one other harm. Kristaps Porzingis has performed over 60 video games simply 3 times in his profession and simply as soon as within the final 5 seasons. Kennard will not be essentially the most sturdy of gamers. Johnson has suffered an assortment of accidents in his younger profession. If one other rotation piece misses time, the Hawks’ questionable depth could possibly be examined.
Past the on-court stuff, there are two elements that would have an effect on how the Hawks method this season. First, Trae Younger’s extension scenario. The 2 events failed to return to an settlement within the offseason, and now Younger could possibly be within the final yr of his contract, as he has a participant possibility for the 2026/27 season. The harm makes it unlikely a deal will likely be reached any time quickly. If the Hawks are struggling near the commerce deadline, Younger, who previously has complained about Atlanta’s lack of success, might possibly ask out. If they’re thriving, the entrance workplace may wish to transfer on from Younger.
Usually, doubtlessly shedding a franchise star can be devastating for a group, however the Hawks might get a substitute within the subsequent draft. The Spurs may swap for his or her choose, however they’ve the Pelicans’ first-rounder within the 2026 draft, absolutely unprotected, from a draft-day commerce for Derik Queen. New Orleans is 0-6 and has one of the fragile superstars in Zion Williamson. The West is deep with expertise, so even when they attempt to win, Joe Dumars’ group might discover itself within the cellar. Their choose could possibly be one of many highest in a stellar draft, at the moment having the second-best odds on the high choose.
It’s solely too early to map out how the Spurs’ and Hawks’ seasons will play out. Atlanta might discover success even with out Younger for a month, endure no main accidents going ahead, and transfer up the standings within the weak East. The Spurs might implode after a powerful begin, making the swap rights meaningless. Younger and Atlanta’s entrance workplace may conform to an extension, erasing any uncertainties in regards to the future. The Hawks might make win-now trades, since they’ve zero motivation to tank. They might see the Pelicans’ choose as a possibility so as to add a second star (or third, relying on the way you see Johnson) as a substitute of seeing it as an opportunity to search out Younger’s substitute.
It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how issues play out, as a result of despite the fact that what occurs in Atlanta may not find yourself having a significant impression in San Antonio, there’s an opportunity it might. The Spurs have constructed an incredible younger core and assuming they continue to be good, the times of choosing excessive within the lottery are over. Until the Hawks have a foul season, that’s, which is trying like an actual risk.
