Could the Hawks have four All-Stars again next season?
The doubt surrounding the Atlants Hawks' legitimacy continues.
Ball Don't Lie recently published a panel on "Which 2015 All-Star will miss out on selection this season?" and, naturally, one panelist said it would be "one of the four Atlanta Hawks who made it last year."
This isn't an unreasonable position, to be sure. Most teams only get four players in after a dominant pre-All-Star break record, and it's unlikely the Hawks are as good as they were to start last season (43-11). It's not impossible, just unlikely.
Moreover, there will be a resurgence of talent in the East. Paul George and Kevin Love will be healthy, and Goran Dragic will be adjusted after a full training camp with Miami (in theory). The Hawks may struggled just to get two Hawks in, let alone four.
From Dan Devine of Ball Don't Lie:
"If George and Love regain their old form, and if a couple of the others reach a new level, the competition for reserve slots in the East could grow fierce enough that it becomes impossible for four members of the same team to make it, unless they all post exceptionally gaudy individual numbers or said team manages to once again win 80 percent of its games before the break. (Again: this seems like a long shot.)
"Of the four, I'd peg Korver, an injury replacement for Wade last season, as the least likely to make the return trip. While the veteran sniper remains a critical cog in Atlanta's motion offense, his postseason struggles showed that the right schemes can slow or even stop him, and it could take him some time to rediscover his rhythm and proper alignment after a summer of rehabilitating after ankle and elbow surgeries."
Al Hordford is essentially a lock to make the team, barring injury, and Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague will both have good odds, depending on how their competition (point guard and power forward are the two most stacked positions) fares. But if you had to bet on player not making the team, it'd be Korver.
Remember, though, no one expected him to make it last year and look how that turned out.
(h/t Ball Don't Lie)
