ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks will tip off their 2024-25 season on Wednesday night.
After a busy offseason, Atlanta enters this season with several exciting pieces that will determine how far the team can go this season.
The first of those moves was landing the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and selecting French wing Zaccharie Risacher with the pick. The 19-year-old Risacher brings an infusion of length, shooting, and athleticism to the Hawks.
Although Risacher is not expected to be an immediate star compared to recent No. 1 picks like Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs or Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic, Risacher can still make an impact this season.
The other franchise-changing move the Hawks made was trading former All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for Dyson Daniels, veteran forward Larry Nance and two future first-round picks.
Unfortunately for the Hawks, Murray and fellow star guard Trae Young never developed the right on-court chemistry to lead the team to success. It was clear the Hawks needed to move on from one of the former All-Star guards after last season.
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The 21-year-old Daniels could bolster a Hawks backcourt that has really struggled on the defensive end in recent seasons.
The most recent major move for Atlanta was extending forward Jalen Johnson to a 5-year, $150 million contract extension. The 22-year-old Johnson has improved each season since the team chose him with the No. 20 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and could take another major leap in performance this season.
If Young continues to play like an All-Star, Johnson takes another leap and the new additions contribute, the Hawks could make some noise in the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta opens the season on Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets at State Farm Arena.
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