Atlanta Hawks Add To The Front Office, Miles Turner Interest? , The Young Core & More W/ Sam Amico

Atlanta Hawks Add To The Front Office, Miles Turner Interest? , The Young Core & More W/ Sam Amico

welcome in Hawks fans Your boy Bryce is back at it again for another believe the Hawks episode So right before the pod uh Hawks in the news hiring a senior VP of basketball operations and also adding some of strategy of analytics to the team and you know it feels like this is a perfect day for me to have bided hoops wires own senior NBA Ryer Samo onto the show Sir how you doing today man Bryce I’m doing well I thought uh you know during the finals things might slow down a little for the NBA but um we’re posting as much news as always So I guess that beats uh sitting around right Yeah I mean hey you can’t never be mad about you know being active you know because some people do look at this as kind of like all right it’s nothing really going to go on but it seems like everybody’s trying to get in position for the offseason when it comes Um but let’s go ahead and dive right into it man So as I mentioned the Hawks uh making some runoff moves uh earlier today you know been a big question once they let go of Landry Fields a few weeks ago who was going to run the team Uh they promoted Anie Salah to the G general manager position Some people wondered you know okay is he going to be the guy or were they going to try to hire someone more They were looking for a basketball president of basketball operations but today like I said they hired a VP senior VP of basketball operations and Bryson Graham and then Peter Dimoody from the 76ers as well for VP of strategy and analytics So I just want to get your reaction to those moves and what do you think about it Yeah I think it’s interesting I think it’s good that they made a hire obviously two hires now before the start of the draft uh and free agency to help prepare for that I think the question now becomes is an your guy Is he going to be uh your you know your head of basketball operations There’s talk that they could still hire somebody above him but for now the other two that were just hired will report to Anie So I I I think you know this enables them to at least say “Okay we kind of have a plan in place We know these guys uh that are coming in are are are going to help with you know the draft free agency which is going to be big in Atlanta the the following week after the draft in early July So you know I I I think it’s a good move you wanted to get people in place and you know I think if you keep an in place and and have him as your head of basketball operations obviously this move of moving on from Landry Fields goes a lot smoother you know you’re not hiring in somebody else who wants to bring in their own coach and could have his own ideas about the roster this is somebody anie obviously who’s been with the program for a while and I think a move like that helps to make the transition away from your former general manager a lot a lot smoother and and everybody being on the same page Yeah And the thing too about an is one thing that him being with the Spurs and before the Atlanta being with Golden State they said he was a salary cap expert Obviously that’s something you’re hearing a lot more of nowadays because of the new CBA how it’s changed roster how you build teams And then you know especially focusing on Bryson Graham for the Pelicans Um he’s a guy who when I’ve talked to some people from the over the Pelicans that I know uh who covers the team uh they’re like he’s a guy who was there through the dark times He’s been there since 2010 Um he is credited with finding guys like Trey uh you know Trey Murphy Dyson Daniels Naji Marshall think guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys guys like that and the Pelicans have usually drafted well I would say they just had injuries and so a guy who seems like his strength is talent evaluation and I feel like you still have Kyle Corver who’s an assistant GM we know people feel like he’s more on the player development side So it seems like they’re just trying to get guys who kind of has a specialty role which I think is kind of common I guess or something that’s becoming more common in front offices Yeah absolutely You know it’s interesting with Bryson Graham A lot of people that I had talked to uh previously kind of felt like he was going to be a Pelicans lifer because he survived a couple of regimes and some people thought he could potentially have been the head of basketball operations in New Orleans uh after David Griffin was let go Of course the Pelicans hired Joe Dumars and that mixed things up there But yeah he’s got a good history of of drafts Um and you know finding kind of those guys who weren’t coming into the draft as you know guys who were expected to change a course your franchise but fit very well in an entire program and have had some good years As you just said Pelicans have drafted well uh when you you know aside from Zion Williamson which was a no-brainer at the time these other guys like Trey Murphy Dyson Daniels now with the Hawks who had a spectacular season Um these are guys who Brian Bryson Graham’s been credited with finding So you’re bringing in people who have shown success in their roles in other places Uh and and again it just seems you know it’s not big it’s not splashy but as you just said Bryce these guys have understood their roles and that’s the way front offices are designed Okay I’m going to oversee everything as the head of basketball operations or the GM and you’re going to do this You’re going to focus on you know the draft and and and you know Peter Denwitty you’re going to focus on analytics and and what we can do to improve in those areas So you know it it it’s obviously uh something that two areas that they felt they needed improvement in Atlanta And I I I think that you know you have you hired two guys with very good reputations in what they do and they supposedly do it very well Yeah Exactly And I guess to further expand upon that point uh with things that have changed do you see the league you know because I think before you knew you have your president you have your GM everything like it’s very or you’ll have like the president who makes all the decisions right And I kind of mentioned how everybody’s kind of focused on one thing Do you sense that you know having do you see it as a disadvantage when you have multiple people in a front office making these types of decisions or do you prefer the you can have a team but one sole person needs to be the sole decision maker for the for teams in terms of just how that goes Yeah I think as of now an is going to be that guy who’s making you know the sole decisions But if you go back a ways and if you’ve ever seen that movie Moneyball how the general manager played by Brad Pitt and they’re all sitting around the table and you have you know eight guys there or six guys including the director of scouting and they’re talking about getting players for the roster Well they’re all giving their input and their insights They they go out and do their jobs and bring it back to the president of basketball operations or general manager whatever his title is the the head of basketball operations and they sit there and they all offer their input and then you know the head of basketball operations is going to make that final call on whatever the decision is the pick uh the free agent signing uh you know the the guy who didn’t get drafted that you sign after the draft So I think it’s better to have multiple voices and multiple opinions uh in the locker room You know it used to be back in the day where you had a general manager assistant general manager and a head of scouting and that was it you know So you know this just gives you more of an opportunity and all NBA teams are doing this now it gives you more of an opportunity to hear more voices and hear from more experts in their respective uh I guess their respective field or whatever their assignment is And um I I I just think you know yeah this is the way the NBA has gone Used to be three guys now it’s like eight or six anyway And yeah it can’t hurt to have more voices and more people offering insights but you know the head of basketball operations is either going to say “Yeah okay let’s do it.” Or “I’m shooting that down.” Yeah exactly And so it’ll be interesting to see if they even like I said do end up hiring a head person Like I said it feels like at this point you kind of have the structure in place and you can kind of roll with what you have And through all indications it seems like the Hawks have been very happy with Ozie the whole time This not a situation where they are questioning it this they’ve been happy with him and they and listen we don’t know since he was with the team last year what voice he had and some decisions that made but clearly they like him after that So obviously really looking forward to kind of seeing what they do going into a crucial offseason and that’s where we go into our next topic So obviously the Hawks are in a position where going into this offseason you you don’t make it to the postseason you lose in the playin but a lot of people would say if Jaylen Johnson stayed healthy you’d probably be a playoff team Uh Trey Young has made mention of postseason like like it it’s very clear the goal is we we need to be in the postseason next year Um where do you see this team as of right now especially with the core Because that’s the thing a lot of people are wondering Do you make the big swing and break it up already or do you continue to let the the core develop with a lot of young talent that they have currently on the roster Yeah I I think that if there’s one thing we’ve learned about the recent finals runs of teams such as Oklahoma City Indiana couple years ago Denver uh even even Boston last year um and and Dallas what we’re seeing is you know big sweeping changes usually aren’t great These teams have all been together a while now You know Oklahoma City went out and added reinforcements and Isaiah Hartinstein and Alex Caruso Uh you you you know you look at like Boston had Tatum and Brown as their core and Al Horford and they went out and got Drew Holiday and Christophorzinga So these aren’t big splashy moves but they’re moves that fit And you know if you look at a team like Atlanta well okay they do have a young core now They showed some things last year when healthy when Jaylen Johnson was healthy and you know when the Cavs went on that 150 winning streak and the Hawks uh beat them two out you know two out of three games to start the year There was a lot of promise there And I thought the way that Trey Young kind of grew his game and became you know I think at first when he went to Atlanta everybody was kind of thinking he’s going to be a poor man Steph Curry Now you look at him and it’s like he’s like a Steve Nash type in the way that he distributed the ball this year Um so I I I think that the pieces are there and it just another year of organic natural growth from this very roster I I think could lead to a playoff spot and maybe even making some noise in the playoffs The question is do you go out and add reinforcements I would be surprised if they went out and made some huge splashy move You know I I think it’s how do we add to what we have without taking away too much How do we find a guy who’s you know we go out and get either in free agency or via trade that’s not going to move the needle in terms of internet buzz but is going to be a real real nice fit like an Isaiah Hartinstein or an Alex Caruso or you know that type of player who’s not an allstar but somebody who could come in and help make a difference maybe that the fans don’t expect to make a difference but the front office does So if I had to take a guess the way the Hawks are viewing things that would be the most logical approach is you know we don’t want to trade Trey Young or Ricochet and go get a big name uh or Jaylen Johnson or any of those guys How do we find pieces that fit around a really nice young core with Trey Young uh having played um really to me a career season when you look at his full body of work this past year a and a coach that the players seem to trust and like how do we grow together a and find that piece or two without shaking things up Yeah and I think that’s really the big thing is like I said how can you add uh especially if you are because I mean early on and even in the process for the basketball president of basketball operations they kind of said from the start line like hey they want someone who can continue to build around the young players that they have It wasn’t hey they would want to blow it up and get somebody obviously people wondering about Giannis Um now seems like it’s swaying that he’ll stay in Milwaukee We’ll see until he actually makes that final decision Uh I mean it looks like Zion’s not going anywhere I mean the KD sweep stakes but even that a lot of teams are viewing him as a one-year guy Do you trade a young player from your core for a one-year rental I mean those are some of the things that when you look at it it may be better for the Hawks to just stay on the path they are And so obviously a big thing with that is one thing looming for them is the Trey Young extension this off seasonason Uh just what do you think Do you do you see in your predictions Trey Young signing something or do you kind of see him kind of waiting a little bit maybe going into the season or even next year Yeah that’s you know that’s hard to predict I foresee uh from everything he has said and everything the Hawks have said which hasn’t been a whole lot since these front office changes but I I I think that you know the way that he ran the offense last year and his ability to score on top of that you know became an assist guy but his ability to score and it’s hard to find players like that you know I mean I know that Trey I’m up here in in the Midwest but I hear you know and read everything and see everything and I know that Trey from the fan base can can undergo some criticism you know for defense or that kind of stuff but I think when you talk about you look at these teams in the finals and Trey Young has addressed this recently as you know he said you know he’s an Oklahoma guy He’s from Oklahoma He sees the thunder in the finals and he says you know look at this is a team that took some lumps and bumps along the way not this season but the season before and the season before that and yet here they are And what’s the what’s the common denominator that that the Thunder and the and the Pacers have Well it’s a dynamic point guard right And then you have both of those teams really have a very good backcourt defender to go with that dynamic point guard Well and the Hawks are already set up there You have Trey Young you have Tyson Daniels You don’t want to move that I wouldn’t think So you know with with Trey Young saying he wants to stay in Atlanta and him being the face of the franchise and it’s not like he hasn’t won before I mean the guy took you to the Eastern Conference finals what three years ago So you know these are the type of players who have been there before He showed that he’s willing to change his game for the good of the team I I I I just think yeah you if you’re Atlanta and you’re Trey Young you should keep this going and stay together You know the one thing I like Bryce about this gang of 35 and younger crowd you know is they’re not so big you know it’s not like the and this isn’t a shot at this generation it’s just a different way of thinking but the 35 and overs of the Kevin Durant James Hardens LeBron James it was always kind of like what’s next Where do I go next to win more Whereas to me it seems like this generation of NBA players from everything I’ve seen you know go looking at like a guy like Donovan Mitchell hearing what Trey Young has said these guys aren’t like looking to move on They want to stay with their current teams I mean Luca Donic who’s he’s probably the first player in NBA history to cry when he got traded to the Lakers right So I think that these guys in this generation are more apt to ride it out and stay with their program Uh unless things just go terribly south but that’s not where the Hawks are So that’s a really long- winded answer to your question but I I think that yeah in the end there’s going to be some rumors as there always is around Trey Young but I think in the end that these that the the team and the star play are going to stay together for a while Yeah And I think too it is funny because they’ve asked Trey about the extension He hasn’t really answered it He’s just trying to focus He was trying to focus on the season but he’s he’s hinted he’s been very positive about Quinn He’s been very positive about Jaylen has been very positive about the young players taking Rishi under his wing Um he he’s even said when they asked about Dyson he’s like I look forward to growing with him in years to come Like he says things it’s like sounds like the man’s going to be around It’s just one of those things where I think at the same time he also just wants to make sure they’re headed in the right direction And for the Hawks it seems like you’re stren trending up because I always say when stars lead you the team’s trending down like like like you can see like they’re like I think this is this is the dead end Hawks are not trending down So to say it would be weird for him to say I want out but they’re trending up That just would be a little different So I do agree with you on the Trey Young standpoint of things Now obviously with them trying to add pieces to fit this team There was a report earlier today Hawks may be interested in Miles Turner from the Pacers We heard from Shams that Pacers plan to resign him So some people are wondering is this just smokec screen You know how it you know how it goes leaking things Is this legit Um obviously the Hawks right now their starting center is Yeka Kongu who is you know within the Hawks community it’s very split Some people really love him and some people don’t because of his hype Um what do you think about the Miles Turner Atlanta Is that is that just fire in the smoke Is Is something real here or I I wouldn’t think it’s too real I think he’s going to go back to Indiana I mean this would be different if they you know the Pacers were lost in the first round or something Um I I I would be surprised Pace would probably offer more money than anybody else to return to a situation that he knows So I I I think that’s a long shot Now the Hawks are going to have to do something I would assume for backup center with probably Clint Capella I’d be surprised if he’s back but you know there are there are ways to go out and do that without mortgaging the farm or spending overspending And that’s one thing that I think that any front office wants to do with this new collective bargaining agreement the new labor rules You want to stay flexible and there are ways to find guys like Thomas Bryant who’s the backup center for the Pacers You know again not a big splashy move but a guy who just fit there on a team that went to the finals right So I I I I think that as fans we can get caught up in kind of the splash and the noise and um you know this team really needs to do this and and and that’s fair I mean fans are the word short for fanatical right So I mean that’s the way we’re supposed to behave But I I I think that you know again with Atlanta and here’s the other thing you have to remember If if things aren’t working out you know you you run it back with a couple of new pieces and doesn’t work out you have all the way till February early February to make a trade if it doesn’t work So um with with the Miles Turner stuff I I I think that’s a long shot incredibly long shot You know Kevin Durant I would be stunned if the Hawks had true interest Um and any of these big splashy names now you know their own pieces and potentially kind of those eighth seventh eighth ninth man pieces I think that those are going to be in play uh all off seasonason or most of the offseason at least till July for for Atlanta Yeah And I think too I I tell people after the Jonte Murray trade when you know the Hawks lost all those assets and even I bring up all to bring up the Shadik Bay trade when they gave up 5 cents Uh you know they’ve been working to try to get some of those assets back and so I’ve always said it would be very risky again in today’s CBA way you have to build rosters to try to make another big move and now you have really no assets because you know and it’s just it where are you getting better especially with the aprons like where are you getting better if if that happens So I feel like it for them is just like I said making the right moves that still give them flexibility and maybe even trying to gain more flexibility in the future Um one person another person that they have they’re looking at potentially bringing back is Caris Levert Um he’s a guy who for what this team needs they do need another guy who can create which Carris can but also we als we also understand Caris is a roller coaster He will give you five points to know on this very inefficient shooting but he could also give you 30 Um you obviously you you’ve covered Cleveland you know what Caris Bert has brought to the table We know throughout his career what he’s been Um what what is the likelihood there for you to think that they’re going to bring back Caris Even hearing that some other teams also have interest in him as well because I think the big thing is just what is that number going to look like Yeah that’s the question right Is how much are you paying him to come back I know that Atlanta would like him to come back and and look you know when you lose let’s say Caris Svert goes elsewhere well now you got to try to replace him right And yes he can be a roller coaster as you said I mean there and that’s just who he is He’s 31 years old That’s not going to change There may not be another guy out there who can give you 30 points you know that’s playing his role That’s the nice thing about him He gets after it He’s just a fantastic individual to have around the team you know I mean he never ever complains He’s he’s one of those guys the coach says you know you’re you played 12 minutes tonight Sorry I just couldn’t find whatever It’s fine You know so he he he gets after it Uh defensively he’s a good wing defender which in the NBA comes at a premium Um and he can there they’re going to be nights Yeah that’s like “Oh my gosh he’s missing layups and he’s he’s not helping offensively.” But there’s never any question about his effort Um so yeah that’s what you have to figure out if Atlanta both sides want a reunion I don’t think there’s any question about that It’s what does that number look like How do we make that work What is outside interest look like You know I guess with something like that you just have to wait and see what the market’s probably not a first day free agent signing for anybody He may be a two weeks in three weeks in free agent signing And if it gets to 3 weeks you know or longer that number starts to go down for the Hawks So it you know so much of it’s going to depend on you know what what do teams like that have the cap space like a Detroit or the Nets what do those teams will you know what are they willing to spend on guys who are seventh or eighth met Um Houston potentially could create a lot of cap space is that you know Caris as much as he offers is not going to be a guy that people are going to go out and you know spend all their available salary especially in this era of uh second apron and all that So I think if I just had to sit here and predict that he’ll return to Atlanta I just think that it’s going to work out uh at some point But you know you have to leave the possibility open that somebody could offer him something more and he’s gone And then and then you got to fill that You know people when you talk about any player on any team you know we got to trade this guy or let this do not resign this guy It’s like well how do you how do you replace every team needs a seventh or eighth man right you know and most of those guys in the league are seventh and eighth men because they’re cons inconsistent So you know here you have a guy in Levert who’s familiar with the program I I would think that he fit in perfectly and you would want him back give him a full training camp with Atlanta Yeah And you know like I said he done some really good things He he listen he was crucial in the Miami game in the playing game I mean you saw how they were had to rely on the veterans late in that game guys who have experience been in that situation And uh you know speaking of of veterans obviously another person that we got from Cleveland uh George N um a guy who you know aka Gwagon um guy shoots 40% from the three We understand his athletic limitations That’s you know but for the most part in Cleveland I think they used him more as a three-point shooter where where in Atlanta they were like “All right we need a little bit more offense from you.” which at times George could get You know I think he’s one of those players that you know you you look at and just think ew George is nang but at the same time he can drop 20 on you and you’re like oh you know and so um what what did you think how what do you think about like how his fit’s been in Atlanta Obviously they they had to make that move after Jaylen went down just to try to get somebody at the four What do you think about the job he did once he got to Atlanta um and seemingly seems like you know he’ll be a part of the rotation next year as well um with the team He does he does a lot of things Like you said he has the athletic limitations but another guy who’s kind of a connector in the sense that I don’t care how many shots I get I’m going to bring it You know I I thought personally now look for the Cavs you make that trade every day of the week you know twice on Sunday But I thought in the playoffs watching the Cavs watching them during the regular season before that trade and then after Now in fairness DeAndre Hunter you know needs some time to adapt But the point being they really miss George Nyang’s toughness And that’s one thing he will bring He stands up for his teammates He’s great in the locker room He livens things up He usually makes winning plays You know again this is a guy off your bench for the most part who despite his limitations and his inconsistencies and his times where he drives fans and perhaps even the coaching staff crazy uh I I I think he was invaluable in so many ways And I think the more that he gets used to the program next year uh and a full training camp obviously very familiar with Quinn Snyder from their time together in Utah I I I just think again these are the kind of guys you need veteran guys you need around a otherwise young core right So guys who are unselfish play hard play their roles don’t complain build their teammates up And Nyang definitely fits in that mold And like you just said oh look he he had 25 I thought he played better in Atlanta than he’s played anywhere else in his career And and I think that that’s a positive sign uh moving forward because he’s such a great teammate So if he can contribute on the court as well like putting up some numbers Yeah it’s a it’s a win Yeah especially I mean also his he’s trash talking Uh George G definitely funny I I’ll give him that man I I you know and like I said he’ll drive some people crazy but sometimes you have those players you know I always say you get to the bench these guys there there’s something they do really well and there’s some stuff they don’t you know and I think you know we always are critical because in game we want to win teams want to win they want the teams to win but hey there’s going to be moments where he going to be a struggle and moments where it’s great and so you got to take everything good and bad all together um so going to the young core now um I just want to get your thoughts on some of the players that they have just because again young a lot of potential Some people are trying to figure out what is certain guys’ ceiling So let’s start with Zachary Rishet Um obviously coming out of France some people wonder should he been the first pick Obviously we know the draft class was not some generational prospect at the beginning Hawks felt like he was the best guy for the program what they wanted to do Um obviously beginning of the year he you know he was he was working through it I feel like playing in France the level of competition increases You have to adjust to that uh you know he mentioned like you know I used to be one of the most athletic people in France and now I’m in the league and I’m not you know and so he he acknowledged that adjustment period and we saw as the season moved on we saw a better increasement of play we I remember the game against Cleveland the first half where he went like seven of seven 21 points and and so you saw flashes of like okay there’s there’s this is a player here what what do you think about him after his first year and what he can be for this team I think he has all-star potential for sure and I think that you have a guy who at the very worst in my opinion is going to be a long time very good starter you know Um and that’s worst case scenario I think he’s got a nice upside Usually these guys three years you know look at Evan Mobley in Cleveland He never really lived up to expectations those first three years Year four took it through the roof won defensive player of the year second team allNBA Obviously you know different types of players but I I think that you just have to be patient But I think that right away you have a guy who’s a starter and a quality starter at worst on a playoff team you know and and again I think that there’s some not every guy is going to be a four or five time all-star hall of famer you know but I think he has that potential I think he has the potential to be a difference maker in a winning environment And that that’s huge if you can get that in the draft even at number one you know so we look at how many times people missed on number one right The the Hawks did not So to me I I I just think the sky’s is the limit for him I think that he’s in a good program with a really good coach and um you know you want to have that solid foundation when you’re a rookie you know and and there’s a lot of pressure on you and and that’s the nice thing about Ricochet is in a good environment and a p place where they can afford to be patient with him and and live through the mistakes and then yeah like you said you see these games where it’s like wow you know look at what this kid can do um and his ceiling is he’s nowhere near his ceiling you believe so I I I like him think he’s going to be a real nice player for them for for quite some time yeah and on top of that I mean we know coming into league putting on more weight just naturally young guy you know that you said obviously this isn’t this isn’t France food anymore This is American food No we got to put the weight on You know what I’m saying Um you know and and so that’ll help just you know naturally with his game just getting stronger Um and just more consistency I think that’s the biggest thing If he can just get more consistent he doesn’t have to be the the big 30 points if he can become consistent like 15 16 consistently I think that’s a good step for him instead of the wide variation of games that he can sometimes bring And then on top of that I think a lot of people also mention how he that he has a from coming especially when you’re coming from like other leagues and overseas sometimes people’s games are more they say mature Yeah Really good cutter which people say is a lost art in America’s game um you know has some good defensive principles things of that nature So I think there are some things that you can definitely build off of and I can see why the Hawks really liked him And then another guy who you know they really liked who really was able to get a chance to fully show was Dyson Dan Yeah You know second in defensive player of the year first team all defense most improved player in the league Um a lot of people you know when we got him in that trade people if you if you know ball I would say you were like “All right I know what Dyson is defensively We just didn’t know what offense.” We didn’t know Yeah You know and and I think some people thought his offense was maybe better than some people expected And he’s and that’s something he’s mentioned he wants to continue to build because he said “I want to take pressure off Trey if I can.” What do you think about how Dyson did in his first year as as a full-time starter for this team I think he was one of the NBA’s biggest most pleasant surprises right at the time of that trade Like you said everybody knew he was a pretty good defender Um I I think if you watch like Andrew Nemhard with the Pacers and what he offers them in terms of his he’s always guarding the opposing best wing U he he makes winning plays He doesn’t get too riled up To me that’s you know Dyson Daniels to me is probably a better version of that the way he played this last year And you think about how important that is as we’ve seen these playoffs and these type of players not just with the Pacers and the Thunder but other teams that are having success in the postseason have these guys Minnesota has these guys You know it’s just these are the type of players that you need again doesn’t maybe not an allstar right But just so valuable to your program that in your program with with the Atlanta Hawks he’s an all-star Dyson Daniel So what a great find in that trade What a much better fit next to Trey Young than Deontay Murray was And no no shot at DeJonte Murray Fantastic player But it’s all about what we’re seeing in the past probably seven years of NBA finalists It’s not about compiling stars It’s about compiling fits And he was an excellent fit next to Trey Young Really exactly the type of guard that they needed to put next to Trey Young in my opinion And you know again a younger player who’s grown who still has a nice ceiling And as we’ve seen and repeatedly throughout teams that are in contention true contention they have a backcourt defensive stopper You know you look at the Cleveland Cavaliers for instance 64 and 18 No stopper in the back court right And especially none after they got rid of Levert So you know I I I think that that’s a huge key to being successful when we heard Trey Young the other day again saw looks at the Oklahoma City Thunder and said I don’t think we’re that far away you know and I think if you look at this roster the key pieces he’s probably right and I think too um you know it’s it’s really important especially if you are building your team kind of from the back court to just really have those fits because sometimes we’ve seen players that are good in the back together but it’s not a great fit like you mentioned with the Jonte but this fit just seems like it’s more seamless less You have the the offensive you know p like you know point of the team and and Trey driving it and then you have the defensive point of the team and Dyson driving that side of the ball and then obviously Dyson trying to get his offensive game to a point where the offense can still be really good on the offensive side and keep the team being able to go on both ends which we’ve also seen the effect we’ve made people have made mention seeing Dyson’s effort has made others players on the team want to play more with more effort defensively as well just because it’s a very infectious type of thing So you know he’s been really big for what they’re doing and obviously looking forward to see what he does in his second full year Now let’s talk about the guy who who kind of runs the entire ship to get those players where they need to be Quinn Snider Um you know he’s a guy who a lot of people are kind of split on a little bit Uh I think people acknowledge him as a good coach but some people have questioned rotations at times and have questioned other things Now they have had injuries that have kind of forced him to make certain decisions Uh I know one of the things from this past season is that sometimes he would just go small when you know things went when stuff would happen just because the big especially when Clint and Larry dance went down you had some young guys that maybe just weren’t ready to play big minutes outside of a congru Um what do you think about the job he’s done in Atlanta so far Obviously I I would say this coming season is like the first year him with him being here that there will be some pressure to win But what do you what do you think about the job Quinn has done while he’s been the head coach Yeah I think you know when you factor in the injuries and some inconsistencies uh in terms of guys staying healthy that are rotational players I think he’s done just fine I think that he’s proven that he can win You know he did that in Utah He’s he’s he’s proven that he can take teams places Um I again to me he seems like if I’m looking at it a pretty good coach you know and and it’s just a roster that you have to be patient with because he’s not dealing with a super experienced roster He’s going to he’s he’s managing players who can be inconsistent because they’re young and and you know again sometimes yes you you know you want a new voice or a new leader but when you see how Trey Young’s game has developed and changed under and was a fantastic player before Quinn Snyder but I think last year Trey had a career year because of the way he played and the way he distributed the ball You know you know he can put up 40 if he wants It’s what else can you do Well I thought Trey proved that and I thought Quinn Snyder was a big voice in getting Trey to change that game and say you know what we’re going to win more if you play this way and you’re still probably going to be an all-star or at least deserve to be an all-star And that was absolutely the case So there’s a lot to be said for in the NBA with only five guys on the floor at time There’s so much to be said for if your star player and your coach are on the same page and they see eye to eye especially when your star players in a position now of Trey Young as you know the oldest star on the team right So I I I just think if your point guard is an extension of your coach and the point guard just also happens to be your best player and the face of the franchise I I I think that that carries you a long way You know now you know we’ve and we we’ve seen Trey in the past right This is this again it’s just acknowledging what’s happened Nate McMillan issues Floyd Pierce issues you know So the fact that Quinn and and Trey have this special connection and Trey Quinn Snyder is seen as a very flexible coach when it comes to listening to the players and getting their input and reacting and saying you know what great idea Let’s put that in I I think that there’s you know a lot of positive things Look we we all think that we it’s probably the only profession where we all think we could do a better job yet we never go do it right You know we’re not looking at some engineer and say “Well what’s he doing this for and why is he doing that?” Now maybe I did That’s all I did was follow engineering but with coaches it’s we all we all know and think we can do a better job And I think that you know to me Quinn Snyder is the guy for this team right now There’s no reason to shake things up in that area He has he has shown no reason Uh especially when this team you think okay next season is our year to take a step Well now you find out if the co if this is the coach to get you there Yeah Especially since the playoffs have played out the way they have and it seems the East is very wide open Yeah So I think people are kind of like hey why why can’t we make noise you know And even though Pacers made it it’s not like you know the Pacers are like man there’s nobody who can compete with the Pacers right now It’s one of those things where it’s like hey they’re really good team Rick Carlile’s really good coach But you know people feel like they’re a very beatable team you know like like if you you know don’t allow blown leads in the last you know minute of a game you know you can you can beat a team So uh it’ll be interesting to kind of see how how things play out with the Hawks this coming season And I’m very with the draft coming up they have two picks in the first round Interested to see what they do there and then what they do in free agency from that point But uh I appreciate Sam I appreciate you coming on to the show man For sure man Let people know where they can find you Yeah Uh uh hoopswire.com is our website and uh I think we’re in year year three now with that And then um on on Twitter x ammo hoops and I’m also on Blue Sky and Threads at the same address and uh that’s basically it I I host a show here in Cleveland with with former Cavs guard Booby Gibson Um we’re on sabatical until next season but that’s on FanDuel Sports Network Um I’ve been told nationwide but who knows So I I don’t tune in so I don’t know But uh that’s on FanDuel Sports Network It’s called Full Court and that runs during basketball season pretty much nightly Um with former Cavsgard Booby Gibson We get some guests on there I keep pushing them I’m like “You played with LeBron right Get LeBron.” So what are you doing I’ll take the day off Just have LeBron in But uh yeah so I do that That’s where you can find all my stuff And I I honestly think that the Hawks to me as a guy who runs a website we cover all the teams is are are truly one of the more intriguing storylines flying under the radar cuz like you said Bryce it’s wide open Both the East and the West wide open So I think Atlanta’s right there right on the doorstep and and and who knows what they could do next year but I think possibilities are endless with the Hawks Yeah And obviously health will be a big part of that and like I said the moves they continue to make to continue to grow this team moving forward and the growth and steps made by their young core So be very interesting and exciting to kind of see what happens there But obviously guys you know if you enjoy this episode subscribe leave a comment like the video Um you know follow me on X at Bryson_2K as well for all my Hawks takes and everything in the sun Um and you know we’ll like I said we’ll we’ll keep an eye on what’s happening as we get close to the draft and the offseason starts to really get active after the NBA finals concludes whenever that will be But that’s about it for the show today I’m Bryce That’s Sam See you next time

NBA Senior Writer from Hoopswire Sam Amico joins the show to discuss the new front office hires for the Hawks, Young’s extension, and more

00:00 – Intro
1:00 – New Senior VP of Basketball Operations
9:00 – State of the Hawks
13:40 – Young extension
18:15 – Real interest in Miles turner?
21:50 – likelyhood of lever resigning
26:00 – thoughts on Nieng
29:00 – thoughts on young core
37:05 – thoughts on Snyder

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