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‘Bogdan Bogdanovic left Giannis and the Bucks hanging’: Can the Atlanta Hawks make the playoffs in 2020-21 season?

Samir Mehdi
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'Bogdan Bogdanovic left Giannis and the Bucks hanging': Can the Atlanta Hawks make the playoffs in 2020-21 season?

Bogdan Bogdanovic agrees to sign with the Atlanta Hawks on a 4 year deal, leaving the Sacramento Kings.

The Atlanta Hawks have had perhaps the busiest offseason in 2020. With pressure from the Hawks owners mounting up on top the Hawks GM Travis Schlenk, Schlenk was forced to make trades that would effectively place them in “win-now” mode.

Also Read: ‘Lakers to pursue Giannis’: Anthony Davis stalling on contract talks to get LeBron James a superteam

The Atlanta Hawks have signed veterans such as Danilo Gallanari and Rajon Rondo, while also bringing along defensive specialist Kris Dunn. They also got a steal at the number 6 spot in this year’s draft by acquiring Onyeka Okongwu.

In any effort to further bolster their roster, they went after Sacramento Kings shooting guard, Bogdan Bogdanovic.

The Atlanta Hawks steal Bogdanovic away from the Kings.

Bogdan Bogdanovic entered free agency as a restricted one this offseason. As soon as free agency began, one of the first trades that was reported was a Bogdanovic to Milwaukee trade.

Also Read: How will Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks line up after trading for Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanovic

That however, fell apart, and resulted in the NBA opening up an investigation into the potential deal. Eventually, trade talks between the Bucks and the Kings fell through completely.

The Hawks swooped in and signed Bogi to an offer sheet worth $72 million over the next 4 years. The Sacramento Kings had 48 hours to match this offer but decided to let Bogdanovic walk.

Will the Atlanta Hawk make the Playoffs next year?

The new-look Atlanta Hawks are most definitely an upgrade over their roster from last season. They have surrounded Trae Young with threats from the perimeter like Danilo Gallinari and Bogi, while also adding to their perimeter defense by acquiring Kris Dunn.

Bogdanovic is also a competent perimeter defender and can hold his own on switches. This will help alleviate some tension off of Young’s shoulders on the defensive end of the floor as he ranks at the very bottom in defensive rating.

The only problem for the Hawks is that, in an effort to make the postseason, the veterans might take away valuable minutes from the young guys. This might hamper their development going forward.

 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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