Atlanta Hawks Looking to Improve on Solid 2007-08 Season

The Hawks finally got the monkey off their back last season by making it to the playoffs. They played inspired basketball against Boston, but came up one game short of advancing.

This year, improvement is necessary. Here are some of the positive and negative moves the Hawks made this offseason:

The Bad

1. Losing Josh Childress was a big blow. Although he was a sixth man, he added tremendous athleticism to the team.  

2. One of the Hawks' major issues last season was lack of inside scoring. The only big man they added was the unproven Randolph Morris. It will be some time before we know what kind of player Morris will be.

The Good

1. Hiring Rick Sund as GM was a good move. He is proven GM who will help the Hawks get better.

2. I think the signings of Maurice Evans and Flip Murray were important. These two do not provide the athleticism of Josh Childress, but they will more than fill the void.

3. The re-signing of Josh Smith was the most important move they made this offseason. Smith provides scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots—and should only get better.

The Outlook for 2008-09

Personally, I think the Hawks will be an improved team. They have tremendous talent and athleticism, and can play with almost anyone. The key will be seeing if they can put in that kind of effort every night.

Also, Marvin Williams has got to have a breakout season. He shows signs of it, but fades toward the end of the season. 

Last, the new additions to the roster need to take some pressure off of Joe Johnson.

If the Hawks can play consistent basketball, they will win 45-50 games. If they don't, it will be another disappointing season.