Brooklyn Nets 2018-19 Primer: Scanning the East

In our first look at the Brooklyn Nets competition in the Eastern Conference, we start with the rebuilding Atlanta Hawks, who face a long climb back.

After 10 consecutive trips to the postseason, but with a sweep in the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals as the high-water mark, the Atlanta Hawks joined the Brooklyn Nets in the lower echelon of the East last season, blowing everything up and launching a rebuild.

Atlanta was an Eastern Conference-worst 24-58 in 2017-18 and enter the second year of its retooling with a new voice at the helm.

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Former Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer bolted for the Milwaukee Bucks after five seasons in the ATL, replaced by 42-year-old Lloyd Pierce, an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers the last four seasons.

That means things will probably remain fairly similar for the Hawks, as Pierce comes from the tutelage of his former boss, Philadelphia head coach Brett Brown, who like Budenholzer was a long-time assistant with the San Antonio Spurs.

The Hawks shuffled players in and out of the system much of the season, with 22 players seeing action for the team.

The changes continued into this offseason. Leading scorer Dennis Schroder is gone to the Oklahoma City Thunder, sent out in the trade that (briefly) landed the Hawks Carmelo Anthony.

That leaves third-year wing Taurean Prince as Atlanta’s leading returning scorer. Prince started all 82 games and put up 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 30.0 minutes per game while shooting .426/.385/.844.

Those numbers could have merited the former 12th overall pick from Baylor some consideration as Most Improved Player, considering that while his overall averaged shot up from the previous season as expected (his playing time did increase from 16.6 minutes per game to 30.0), his per 36 minutes numbers also improved considerably.

He went from 12.3 points and 2.0 assists per 36 to 16.9 and 3.1, respextively, and his shooting was much improved as well, up from a .400/.324/.787 slash line as a rookie.

All that said, Prince is not the reason for Atlanta fans to be excited.

Likely replacing Schroder at the point, at least to start the season, will be veteran Jeremy Lin, acquired from the Nets in a July trade.

But waiting in the wings will be No. 5 overall pick Trae Young, selected by the Dallas Mavericks and then acquired in a deal on draft night in which the Hawks surrendered No. 3 overall selection Luka Doncic and a top-five protected 2019 first-round pick.

Young was scintillating as a freshman at Oklahoma last season, leading the nation in scoring and assists (27.4 and 8.7 per game, respectively) while doing just about everything for the Sooners (including 5.2 turnovers per game).

Young’s performance in Summer League play in both Salt Lake City and Las Vegas was heavily scrutinized and, hey, the kid struggled shooting the basketball, there’s no question.

In seven total games across both sessions, Young averaged 15.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 27.1 minutes per game on .303/.273/.775 shooting.

But he was much better in Las Vegas, shooting .383/.387/.870 and averaging 17 points and 6.8 assists after putting up a .231/.125/.647 clunker in Utah.

The Hawks added two other first-round picks to the roster, as well.

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Maryland wing Kevin Huerter went 19th overall to Atlanta after a two-year career with the Terrapins during which he shot 39.4 percent from 3-point range. At 6-foot-7 and 190 pounds, Huerter has some growing to do — literally — before he’s ready to contribute.

Villanova power forward Omari Spellman was the 30th overall pick and brings bulk at 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds. He struggled with his shooting in Summer League play, posting a .356/.275/.688 slash line in eight games in Utah and Vegas, but averaged 10.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks in 25.9 minutes per game.

Huerter did not play in the Summer League after having surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right hand, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Atlanta also brought in some veterans, adding Lin and signing free agents Vince Carter, Alex Len and Thomas Robinson.

So it’s an odd roster, with one key holdover from the Hawks’ old core in Kent Bazemore surrounded by young faces and old ones in new places.

Watching Young will be the most interesting thing for the Hawks, who are moving forward with their rebuild even as they may not be much better than they were a year ago in the win column.

2017-18 Vitals

24-58, 15th in Eastern Conference
103.4 PPG (25th), 108.8 OPPG (23rd)
105.0 Offensive Rating (26th), 110.6 Defensive Rating (21st)

Team Leaders (minimum 42 games)
Scoring: Dennis Schroder 19.4 PPG
Rebounding: Dewayne Dedmon 7.9 RPG
Assists: Dennis Schroder 6.2 APG
Steals: Kent Bazemore 1.5 SPG
Blocks: John Collins 1.1 BPG
3-pt shooting: Kent Bazemore 39.4 pct.

Honors:
none

2017-18 Roster

Jaylen Adams, G
Justin Anderson, G-F
Kent Bazemore, G
DeAndre’ Bembry, F-G
Vince Carter, G-F
John Collins, F-C
Dewayne Dedmon, C
Tyler Dorsey, G
Daniel Hamilton, G-F
Kevin Huerter, G
Alex Len, C
Jeremy Lin, G
Miles Plumlee, C-F
Alex Poythress, F
Taurean Prince, F
Thomas Robinson, F
Omari Spellman, F
Trae Young, G

Offseason Additions
Kevin Huerter (draft), Omari Spellman (draft), Trae Young (trade with Dallas, June 21), Jaylen Adams (2-way contract, July 1), Jeremy Lin (trade with Brooklyn, July 13), Justin Anderson (trade with Philadelphia/Oklahoma City, July 25), Carmelo Anthony (trade with Oklahoma City/Philadelphia, July 25), Alex Len (free agent, Phoenix, Aug. 3), Alex Poythress (free agent, 2-way, Indiana Pacers, Aug. 20), Daniel Hamilton (free agent, Oklahoma City, Aug. 20), Vince Carter (free agent, Sacramento, Aug. 24).

Offseason Departures
Devonte’ Graham (trade with Charlotte, June 21), Isaiah Taylor (waived June 30), Malcolm Delaney (free agent), Damion Lee (free agent, Golden State), Josh Magette (free agent), Andrew White (free agent), Jaylen Morris (waived July 19), Antonius Cleveland (waived July 21), Mike Muscala (trade with Philadelphia/Oklahoma City, July 25), Dennis Schroder (trade with Oklahoma City/Philadelphia, July 25), Carmelo Anthony (waived July 30).

Against the Nets

Oct. 22: NETS 116, Hawks 104
Dec. 2: Hawks 114, NETS 102
Dec. 4: Nets 110, HAWKS 90
Jan. 12: Nets 110, HAWKS 105

Projected Depth Chart

C: Dewayne Dedmon, Alex Len, Miles Plumlee
PF: John Collins, Omari Spellman, Alex Poythress
SF: Taurean Prince, DeAndre’ Bembry, Justin Anderson, Daniel Hamilton
SG: Kent Bazemore, Kevin Huerter, Vince Carter, Tyler Dorsey
PG: Jeremy Lin, Trae Young, Jaylen Adams

Outlook

The kids will likely see more time as the season progresses, as it promises to be a long one for Atlanta. Wins will be hard to come by and they may look to move some of those veteran faces at or around the trade deadline for picks or young players needing a fresh start.

Among the vets, Lin and Dedmon are on expiring contracts and Carter and Robinson came in on one-year veteran’s minimum deals (Robinson’s is non-guaranteed, per Early Bird Rights).

Bazemore has a $19.3 million player option for 2019-20 that Atlanta might look to move, as well, even with the caveat that no team in the league not named “Sacramento Kings” has cap space.

Lloyd Pierce is one of the bright young names in coaching, but things are likely going to get worse for the Hawks before they get better.

Projected record: 21-61