How’d We Get Here?

The Hawks finished the 2021-22 regular season as the eighth-best team in the Eastern Conference with a 43-39 record. This was good enough to land them a spot in the Play-in Tournament, which they navigated with ease via wins against the Hornets and later the Cavs. Unfortunately, not even the offensive basketball stylings of Trae Young were enough to offset the Hawks’ season-long issues on the defensive side of the ball — leading to a first-round exit in the playoffs at the hands of the Heat (1-4).

The Hawks sought to address their long-standing problems via a major trade during the offseason, landing Dejounte Murray from the Spurs, in exchange for Danilo Gallinari and a Captain’s haul of draft picks — three firsts and a pick swap, to be more specific. Murray now joins Young in Atlanta’s backcourt, forming what could be one of the most dynamic guard duos in the league. Will their gambit pay off? This season’s results will definitely tell that tale.

Offseason Moves

Arrivals: Dejounte Murray, Aaron Holiday, Justin Holiday, Vit Krejci, Frank Kaminsky, Trent Forrest (2W)
Rookie Arrivals: No. 16 AJ Griffin, No. 51 Tyrese Martin, UDFA Tyson Etienne (E10)
Departures: Kevin Huerter, Danilo Gallinari, Delon Wright, Gorgui Dieng, Kevin Knox II, Sharife Cooper
Retained: Chaundee Brown Jr. (2W)

Depth Chart and Minutes Per Game

PG: Trae Young (33.5-35.5) / Aaron Holiday (16-21) / Armoni Brooks (0, 12-15)

SG: Dejounte Murray (33.5-35.5) / Bogdan Bogdanovic (27.5-29) / Jarrett Culver (0, 8-16) / Vit Krejci (0, 5-10)

SF: De’Andre Hunter (29-31) / Justin Holiday (23-26) / A.J. Griffin (0, 7-14)

PF: John Collins (30-32) / Jalen Johnson (11-17)

C: Clint Capela (24-28) / Onyeka Okongwu (24-27) / Frank Kaminsky (0, 12-16)

Position Battles

Point Guard: Trae Young will continue to start at point guard, despite the arrival of Dejounte Murray. He will see some more off-ball action this season but as far as depth charts go, we will keep him penciled into this position. Backing him up will be Aaron Holiday, who should see a bit of action. That said, given Murray’s excellent passing abilities, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Young and Murray staggered at times.

Shooting Guard: Dejounte Murray will be the new Hawks shooting guard for the 2022-23 season. Behind him, we should see Bogdan Bogdanovic come off the bench in a sixth-man role, though Bogi will spend time both at SG and SF. Justin Holiday figures to see some minutes at this position as well, providing the Hawks with some veteran 3-and-D contributions. Finally, there could be some minutes for rookie AJ Griffin, though he will be brought along slowly.

Small Forward: De’Andre Hunter is expected to reprise his role as the team’s starting small forward this season. As mentioned, Bogdanovic could see some minutes playing minutes here on the wing and so could Holiday (Justin) as well. Hunter had a lackluster 2021-22 campaign but as long as he can stay healthy in 2022-23, he should be able to see the lion’s share of SF minutes on a nightly basis.

Power Forward: John Collins will continue to be the Hawks’ main offensive threat in the paint, providing them with a great P&R partner for either Young or Murray. Danilo Gallinari is now gone and there will be more minutes for Collins to feast on at the four. Justin Holiday can see time here when the Hawks send out a small squad to the floor. 2021 draft pick Jalen Johnson will see limited minutes as the low man in the power forward totem pole but offers intriguing defensive upside.

Center: Clint Capela should remain the Hawks’ starting center, but after an impressive mini-breakout in 2021-22, Onyeka Okongwu should eat into more of his minutes this coming season. He’s both younger and has a higher basketball I.Q., so this particular positional battle will be something to watch closely throughout the season. Situationally, like in blowouts, there could be games where Frank Kaminsky gets deployed but those will be few and far between as Okongwu and Capela will cover the bulk of the minutes at center. John Collins will be the preferred small-ball five in most cases, so Frank “the Tank” will spend most of his game nights on the bench.

Outlook

Per-Game Value: 93 / 71 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 101 / 88 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 63

2021-22 Review: Bogdanovic finished his first season with the Hawks on a major kick and was able to carry that over into last year, though it certainly helped that Cam Reddish was never a factor and that other players' injuries were timed well enough to give Bogdanovic a nice springboard into increased value. His own injuries remained an issue (which figures to be a theme moving forward) but Bogdanovic was able to put together a solid facsimile of a successful previous season. The one major difference, which resulted in a couple rounds of diminished value, was his shooting percentage. To deal an even bigger blow, the difference was almost entirely a result of his 3-point percentage falling from .438 to .368, leading to 0.6 fewer triples per contest to boot. Aside from that, everything else was right in line with his breakout effort from 2020-21.

This Year: Bogdanovic outlasted not only Reddish but Kevin Huerter as well, with Red Velvet now a King. Justin Holiday shouldn't be a major threat but the arrival of Dejounte Murray is a complicating factor for BB8. The Hawks no longer need to funnel him playmaking work behind Trae Young, and two-PG lineups should be a fixture of Atlanta's rotation, pushing Bogdanovic into a more strict bench role. Bogdanovic has never really slid into "playmaking dynamo" territory so the hit to assists won't be drastic, but decreasing volume figures to be in the cards even if he's the team's sixth man. We'll see if he's ready for opening night after undergoing knee surgery this offseason.

Injury History: Bogdanovic battled persistent right knee soreness for most of the second half of the year, eventually going under the knife in June. He missed six games with right knee soreness (including five in a row in January), eight with a right ankle sprain and four more while in the health and safety protocols. In 2020-21 Bogdanovic missed two games with left hamstring soreness but the big issue was a 25-game absence after suffering an avulsion fracture in his right knee. He also played through right knee soreness in the playoffs, so it's definitely an appendage to keep an eye on. In 2019-20 Bogdanovic missed nine games with right ankle soreness (separate absences of three games and six games), one with a right knee contusion and one with left hamstring tightness. In the 2018-19 season, after undergoing a procedure to repair a “slight” tear of his left meniscus in April 2018, Bogdanovic underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in September that forced him to miss the first 10 games of the year. Luckily he was healthy after that, only missing one game due to right foot soreness. As a rookie he missed three games with a right ankle sprain and one with a back problem, and he did miss over 20 games with a left ankle sprain playing in Europe in 2016.

Outlook: Can Bogdanovic carve out nearly 30 mpg again with Dejounte Murray in town? If he can, then middle-round numbers are back on the board, especially with the Hawks in need of secondary scoring and playmaking after trimming some depth to add a star player. If he can't, then Bogdanovic likely slips into the late-round conversation, with top-150 output no longer guaranteed. Of course, Bogdanovic may be able to play less and hold value if his shooting percentages rebound, which is well within the range of possible outcomes. Bogdanovic feels like more of a top-110/100 sort given Atlanta's new setup, but that's still worth your attention at the right price.

Per-Game Value: 98 / 65 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 69 / 43 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 65

2021-22 Review: After a rousing first flight with the Hawks, Capela took a step back last season. The big man's game didn't change all that much, however. Capela was still a positive in blocks, boards and field goal percentage. The problem was that he was less good at those things than usual, with a decline of 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game way too much to overcome elsewhere. When you play a limited game, you run the risk of sharp drops. Capela also set a six-year low in scoring (and shot volume), while establishing a seven-year low in free throw percentage. If there's a saving grace there it's that nobody had intentions of competing in FT% with Capela anyway. Most troublingly, beyond another round of injury concerns, Onyeka Okongwu impressed and turned things into a bit of a timeshare down the stretch.

This Year: Okongwu's footsteps are thunderous on the depth chart; loud enough that Capela popped up in a handful of trade rumors this offseason. Atlanta seems to see the writing on the wall of OO as their long-term answer at the pivot and we wouldn't be shocked to see a passing of the torch. Like last season, expect Capela to deliver solid numbers in his area of specialty. Unfortunately we can't guarantee that his playing time will allow him to reach previous heights. The addition of Dejounte Murray gives Capela another pick-and-roll partner to work with, and seeing how two elite guards change Atlanta's offense will have major fantasy ramifications for all of the secondary scorers. The marginal benefit of catching more alley-oops isn't going to matter if he stops being an automatic double-double and near the top of the block leaderboards, though.

Injury History: Capela stayed relatively healthy in 2021-22, missing six games with a left ankle sprain and two while in the health and safety protocols. He also missed three playoff games with a right knee hyperextension and was clearly hobbled upon his return. Capela missed the first two games of the 2020-21 campaign with a left heel contusion, but that ended up creating more value by lowering his ADP than anything else. He also sat out one game for right hand soreness, one for right foot pain, two for left heel pain and one with left Achilles soreness. Capela missed the final 19 games of the 2019-20 season with a right heel contusion and plantar fasciitis, as well as two other games earlier in the season with the same issue. He also missed a pair each for an illness and a concussion. In 2018-19, Capela missed 15 games after undergoing right thumb surgery and he sat out 15 games after fracturing his left fibula in 2016-17.

Outlook: Capela has a very easy fantasy game to evaluate. When he's getting minutes, he'll be a middle-round option, with bonus value to anyone who punts free throws. Okongwu's continued development figures to throw a wrench into things, however, making Capela more of a boring play than someone who has that old top-35 upside at the ready. We'd aim for a higher ceiling with our middle-round selections but adding Capela to the right roster, even in a slightly decreased role, is reasonable with proper planning.

Per-Game Value: 61 / 50 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 112 / 91 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 54

2021-22 Review: Collins, armed with a big new contract, seemed to have a hard time finding his footing with the Hawks, burdened by big expectations. Injuries didn't help matters and Atlanta struggled as a team for much of the year, with Collins' diminished offensive output in the spotlight. He dealt with trade rumors but remains a Hawk (for now). Fantasy-wise, aside from spotty availability, the big problem was the big man's FG% falling from .556 to .526 -- the rest of his numbers were close enough to accept, even if that means acknowledging that 1.6 blocks per game in 2019-20 is an outlier.

This Year: Collins returns to the Hawks, who were able to hold onto him while adding Dejounte Murray. He seems to be the popular fall guy that ends up in the rumor mill whenever someone thinks Atlanta needs to tinker, but his role seems stable. The dip in efficiency didn't seem to result from a major change in his diet of shots, so we're willing to give him a mulligan on that one. Danilo Gallinari is gone and although the Hawks will have to account for Justin Holiday and the growth of Onyeka Okongwu, it doesn't seem likely that they'll go either super-small or super-big enough for Collins' minutes to be in any real danger. Having another elite guard in the fold could help create better looks for JC, especially as a pick-and-roll finisher, though we don't see him slotting in higher than third in the offensive pecking order.

Injury History: Last year saw Collins limited to just 54 games, with a right foot strain and right finger sprain forcing him to miss the team's final 16 contests, including two Play-In games. He also missed seven straight with right foot/heel issues earlier in the year and five while in the health and safety protocols. In 2020-21 Collins missed nine games with a left ankle sprain but stayed off the injury report otherwise. In his third season he missed one game with a back contusion and 25 for a PED suspension, while his sophomore campaign featured 15 absences for a left ankle sprain and six for smaller ailments (illness, rest, a one-game left ankle issue).

Outlook: Collins is probably a top-30 threat if he finishes last season with career-average efficiency marks. If you're willing to bet on last year being an aberration (as well as Collins staying healthy), we could see some nice room for profit on draft day. To put it bluntly, the vibe was off last year, and between that and the arrival of Murray we'd anticipate most managers to forgo Collins for buzzier options. He may no longer have top-20 upside in plain view, but Collins is a sturdy early-middle round guy even with some bumps in the road.

Per-Game Value: 512 / 514 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 432 / 439 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 36

2021-22 Review: Culver was a complete afterthought for the Grizzlies, only getting chances to play in garbage time or when the team was resting starters en masse. He set a new career-low in playing time and also posted ugly shooting splits, falling out of the rotation on his second team in three seasons.

This Year: Culver signed a two-way with the Hawks, where he'll likely be out of the rotation for his third team in four seasons. He's emergency wing depth on a team that's pretty well stocked.

Injury History: Culver spent some time on the sidelines for right knee soreness and the health and safety protocols last year but there was nothing major. He missed 38 games in the 2020-21 season, battling a number of significant injuries. Most concerning is the right ankle that required surgery, taking him out of the final 14 games of the year. He also missed 16 games with a left ankle sprain, five with a left toe sprain and a couple as DNP-CD. These were his first injuries of consequence since high school, when Culver played through a torn labrum.

Outlook: Culver is not close to the fantasy radar, though he's a desperation flier in deep dynasty formats if you want to hope against hope that he'll figure it all out.

Per-Game Value: 421 / 441 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 337 / 347 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 60

2021-22 Review: Forrest played his second season with the Jazz and saw limited time, generally only getting into the mix when the team was shorthanded in the backcourt. In his six starts he averaged 9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 28.4 minutes but Forrest was only able to get into the fantasy conversation as a deep-league streamer.

This Year: Forrest signed a two-way contract with the Hawks, where he should function as the team's emergency point guard. He proved capable of a back-end rotation spot last season but Atlanta's backcourt is loaded.

Injury History: Forrest got hit decently hard by the injury big last year, missing a week with a concussion, a few games with a right wrist sprain and then a few weeks at the end of the year with a left foot sprain. Previously, Forrest needed surgery after tearing some cartilage in his toe as a junior at Florida State.

Outlook: Forrest isn't a player you'll need to think about on draft day.

Per-Game Value: / (8/9Cat)

Total Value: / (8/9Cat)

Games Played:

2021-22 Review: Griffin put together a strong season as a role player at Duke, filling a 3-and-D role that should be similar to what he'll get at the next level. He averaged just 10.4 points per game but shot .447 from the 3-point arc, and intrigued scouts with his physical frame and shooting mechanics. Griffin is a long wing with knockdown shooting numbers, so he'll get every opportunity to shake previous injury concerns and establish himself as a modern wing.

This Year: Griffin was drafted by the Hawks, who lost Danilo Gallinari and Kevin Huerter over the offseason. The team has tended to work slowly with non-lottery picks in recent years and there may not be playing time available for Griffin despite those departures, as Jalen Johnson looks ready for a leap into the rotation. Foot injuries have also slowed Griffin down in the early days of camp so expectations need to be kept in check despite an obvious theoretical fit when Griffin is playing in top form.

Injury History: Griffin missed Summer League with right foot soreness, continuing a troubling trend for a young player. He suffered a left ankle sprain in March of 2022, as well as a sprained right knee in October of 2021 and a dislocated left knee in 2020. He enters the league with more injury risk than most.

Outlook: Griffin is more of a dynasty target this season but offers long-term upside as a prototypical 3-and-D wing, with a little more scoring upside than most in the archetype. If he can stay efficient then Griffin does have an outside shot at top-200 numbers, but that will rely on him getting healthy, staying healthy and earning a rotation spot on a team that's built to win now. There are better fliers to take but Griffin's easy fit on the roster means you can at least toss him onto watch lists.

Per-Game Value: 207 / 196 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 153 / 147 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 73

2021-22 Review: Holiday slipped down the rankings, falling outside the 12-team picture for the first time in a few seasons. He was traded from the Pacers to the Kings and despite his role as a full-time starter in the California capital, Holiday's playing time fell and his percentages cratered. A 3-and-D player whose D numbers dwindled, Holiday was only a streaming consideration for most fantasy GMs.

This Year: Holiday was traded to Atlanta over the offseason, where he'll support Bogdan Bogdanovic and De'Andre Hunter in the wing rotation. Those two have their fair share of injury troubles but Holiday is more of a luxury depth piece than a key consideration for Nate McMillan at the moment.

Injury History: Holiday missed six games while in the health and safety protocols, one after his trade to the Kings and one due to illness. It ended a streak of four straight seasons without missing any games.

Outlook: Holiday should shoot better than he did last season, but with his playing time trending in the wrong direction there's only low-end appeal at the back of 16-team leagues. The Atlanta depth chart basically vaporizes any upside so he's not necessarily a must-draft guy in those scenarios, either.

Per-Game Value: 318 / 329 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 253 / 261 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 62

2021-22 Review: Holiday was supposed to give the Wizards a reasonable backup point guard after they overhauled their backcourt last offseason, but they overhauled it again at the deadline and sent him off to the desert. Holiday had a brief run of 12-team viability when Chris Paul was out but failed to make much of an impression, both in fantasy and reality.

This Year: Holiday signed on with the Hawks as a free agent. He'll have to wait for playing time behind Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, so Holiday is going to have to wait for injuries in order to get a real chance at minutes.

Injury History: Holiday missed five games in the health and safety protocols, one for an illness and one with a sore right ankle.

Outlook: Holiday's only on the board in 30-team leagues. The former first-rounder has talent, but hasn't done enough to show that he can be a real fantasy factor. Mix in Atlanta's depth chart and he's easy to pass up.

Per-Game Value: 232 / 246 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 233 / 243 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 53

2021-22 Review: Injuries played a major part in Hunter's season, which is the third time in three years that we've been able to make such a claim. While there were hopes that Hunter could pick up on the middle-round form he discovered as a sophomore, a big dip in FG% put him well out of serious consideration in 12-team formats. There are still plenty of flashes of top-flight 3-and-D play, and Hunter was tremendous to close out Atlanta's playoff run, but fantasy managers didn't have enough to work with. If there's one notable development in an otherwise disappointing fantasy effort, it's that Hunter hit .379 from behind the arc. If that sticks and his 2-point percentage can come around, we might have something here.

This Year: Hunter will be trying to build off his huge postseason and should line up as the starting SF in Atlanta. The addition of Dejounte Murray crowds the wing group a bit, with Bogdan Bogdanovic, Justin Holiday and AJ Griffin all jockeying for minutes of their own now that the backcourt spot next to Trae Young is spoken for, but Hunter has the pedigree to run with the job. Will playing next to two top playmakers allow Hunter to shoot above league average? One can only hope -- if the steals don't spike, shooting at a plus clip is the only way that Hunter will move into 12-team viability.

Injury History: For the third year in a row, Hunter missed a big chunk of time due to injury. It was a right wrist injury that required surgery doing most of the damage, as Hunter missed two months of action. He also missed one game due to right knee soreness and another with an illness. As a rookie Hunter missed two games with a left ankle sprain and then one with a dislocated right index finger. He suffered a broken wrist back in the 2018 ACC tournament as well. In his sophomore campaign Hunter first hit the shelf with right knee discomfort but would later undergo an arthroscopic debridement on his meniscus, culminating in a 23-game absence. After returning for two games Hunter would exit the lineup again with right knee soreness, missing 24 games. He returned for the final five games of the regular season and five postseason tilts before being diagnosed with a right meniscus tear that required season-ending surgery.

Outlook: Hunter is a roll of the dice at the back of 12-team drafts. The only real run of must-start value he's had in three seasons looks like the result of a hot shooting streak in an 18-game sample, but continued development could put him closer to the positive end of the FG% spectrum. If that's the case, then there's top-100 potential. It doesn't feel particularly probable but there are worse ways to spend a late-round draft choice. Just don't get caught waiting forever on that next hot streak.

Per-Game Value: 527 / 525 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 477 / 477 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 22

2021-22 Review: Johnson was unable to do much for the Hawks last season, though the team never wavered in their confidence in the young forward. He was able to get more room to operate in the G League, averaging 22.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.6 blocks and 1.4 3-pointers while shooting .490 from the floor in over 34 minutes a night. That speaks to his long-term upside as a versatile weapon, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

This Year: Early word out of camp is that Johnson will have the inside track on a rotation spot this year, with the departures of Danilo Gallinari and Kevin Huerter creating plenty of minutes to fill. Justin Holiday will get some of those, but the Hawks should be invested in seeing how Johnson fits next to their core players. He's a multi-faceted forward who can give the team a lift on defense thanks to his switchability, and a boost on offense because of his point-forward style of play.

Injury History: Johnson missed time with a concussion, a right ankle sprain and a stint in the health and safety protocols, though none of those proved to be overly serious. The big concern is ongoing left knee tendinitis that Johnson received surgery to alleviate in June 2022, though he hasn't had any limitations in training camp. Johnson missed time with a foot injury in his lone Duke season, with its severity never disclosed aside from the fact that he was wearing a walking boot.

Outlook: We hate to make direct player comparisons, but versatile defensive forwards with questionable offensive games who are capable playmakers can get by in fantasy, and can occasionally be real difference-makers. It's unclear how much tolerance the Hawks will have for Johnson to make mistakes, as he's still developing while the team is trying to contend, but his package of skills makes him a very intriguing deep-league flier. If Johnson can step right into the Gallinari-sized hole in the rotation, a top-200 season isn't out of the question.

Per-Game Value: 111 / 79 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 415 / 406 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 9

2021-22 Review: Kaminsky was shaping up to be the third center on the Phoenix depth chart but had a few opportunities to produce early on when Deandre Ayton was battling injuries. Frank the Tank made the most of them, coming through with huge games in three of his nine appearances. Unfortunately, his own injuries followed soon thereafter, and right knee soreness eventually led to season-ending surgery.

This Year: Kaminsky signed a one-year deal with the Hawks where he'll try to make the final roster. He brings more shooting to the table than Atlanta's other center options, but it's hard to see him playing regularly barring injury to better players.

Injury History: Right knee surgery limited Kaminsky to just nine games last season, derailing what was looking like a promising campaign. He spent a handful of games in the health and safety protocols in 2020-21 but didn't hit the injury report otherwise. In 2019-20 he missed the final 33 games of the original schedule due to a right patellar stress fracture but did return in the bubble.

Outlook: Kaminsky can pop off if he's thrust into the starting five but until that happens there's no reason to consider him for your fantasy rosters.

2021-22 Review: Krejci was able to make his NBA debut last season, emerging from the Thunder's ongoing roster shuffle to play a decent role over the back half of the campaign. Solid but unspectacular, Krejci couldn't rise to the status of silly season hero that so many other OKC youngsters have in recent years.

This Year: Krejci was traded to the Hawks, who have no allegiance to his development as a prospect and a loaded backcourt rotation.

Injury History: Krejci missed the 2020-21 season while rehabbing a torn ACL. He also suffered a right ankle sprain in January of 2022 and underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in April of 2022.

Outlook: Krejci can be scratched off all draft lists.

Per-Game Value: / (8/9Cat)

Total Value: / (8/9Cat)

Games Played:

2021-22 Review: Martin was a leader as a senior at UConn, setting the example with a great motor and willingness to do all of the little things that help teams win. The 6'6" guard did average 7.5 rebounds per contest while shooting 43 percent from distance, but stood out more due to the well-roundedness of his production and relentless tenacity more than anything else.

This Year: Martin was selected by the Hawks with the 51st pick in the draft and they have enough backcourt/wing depth to comfortably pencil him in for a long run in the G League.

Injury History: Martin dealt with minor ankle and wrist injuries in his senior campaign.

Outlook: Martin is not someone to consider for fantasy drafts.

Per-Game Value: 11 / 7 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 9 / 6 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 67

2021-22 Review: Murray provided one of the biggest breakout leaps in fantasy last season. He became a nightly triple-double threat all while leading the league in steals. Murray was a competent inheritor of the Spurs in the post-DeMar DeRozan era. He improved in every standard statistical category, save for FT% where he took a slight hit. Murray's improvement and role as the Spurs' first scoring option allowed him to crack top-10 value at the end of the season as he took a true star turn.

This Year: The Hawks traded for Murray in the offseason, sending over three first-round picks, a pick swap and Danilo Gallinari for the talented two-way guard. He's now expected to provide the Hawks with some much-needed defense while sharing the backcourt with potent scorer Trae Young. There are questions as to whether both guards can coexist and retain their elite fantasy value, but that will only be answered in time. On the Hawks, Murray will no longer be his team's first and top scoring option, nor may he even be its primary playmaker. His points and assists are at risk of regressing this coming season, but he should remain a great source of steals as it's not something that is affected by decreased usage. Either way, we'd expect Trae Young to be the guy that does more work off the ball than Murray, so don't overreact.

Injury History: Murray didn't deal with any major injuries in 2021-22. He missed time due to COVID like many NBA players did and also dealt with minor injuries to his left knee, left wrist, and left calf. An upper respiratory illness (non-COVID) sidelined Murray for four days towards the end of the regular season. Murray was mostly healthy in 2020-21, sitting out for knee and back issues but getting most of his absences as rest days in back-to-back sets. It was a nice change of pace for him as Murray went down with a calf strain right before the league’s hiatus in 2019-20, getting away with only a single-game absence as a result. His other absences that season were for personal reasons and rest in SEGABABA situations. There’s obviously the right ACL tear from 2018 that sticks out as the major issue in his past. In 2017-18 Murray missed just one game with a sprained left ankle, and as a rookie he sat out two games with a sprained ankle and then 16 after sustaining a groin injury.

Outlook: It's a tall, if not a nearly impossible task for Murray to replicate his top-10 level play from last season. As they say, "there's only so much ball to go around" and Trae Young will be demanding it or needing it in his hands often. On sheer athleticism, size and skill Murray should find a safe fantasy floor to land on, especially since he should remain a top-5 steals contributor by season's end. The late second-round might be the spot where Murray will find his ADP settling on draft day, so act accordingly. He should be worth it there, but think more top-20 than top-10 this year.

Per-Game Value: 147 / 134 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 210 / 195 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 48

2021-22 Review: Okongwu started the year on the shelf while recovering from shoulder surgery but it didn't take long for him to get up to speed and start chipping away at Clint Capela's hold on the center minutes in Atlanta. The USC product is an explosive, impactful defender who can't be ignored whenever he's on the floor. His offensive game remained limited but his versatility and athleticism made him a serious weapon. His stats from last season look like a great starting point as his role continues to grow in the league, and fantasy managers would be ecstatic if his FG% held up in a larger sample. Okongwu did nothing to dispel the idea that he's part of the solution for the Hawks with his quality play.

This Year: There were early offseason rumblings that the Hawks wanted to make finding Okongwu more minutes a priority, and we're expecting them to deliver. While he realistically won't start over Clint Capela (at least to begin the season) and is unlikely to share the floor with another non-shooting big, Okongwu has a serious chance of pulling things into an even timeshare. He's a player whose fantasy appeal could skyrocket with one injury or transaction, and we're excited to see how he adjusts to a fuller season of NBA competition.

Injury History: Okongwu missed the first 28 games of the 2021-22 season while recovering from offseason surgery on his right shoulder (torn labrum). From there he was pretty healthy, missing two games with a concussion and four in the health and safety protocols. As a rookie, Okongwu missed two games with a groin injury and 10 with a left toe fracture suffered in his pre-draft process.

Outlook: Okongwu has a great stat set going for him and showed last year that he's got late-round appeal even as a backup, so he's someone that enterprising managers will want to prioritize in the late rounds of drafts. Hopefully the hype train doesn't pick up any steam through camp and preseason.

Per-Game Value: 8 / 11 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 2 / 4 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 76

2021-22 Review: Young delivered the best season of his bright four-year career, with a huge leap in efficiency driving his ascent from fantasy's second-tier up into the echelon of the elite. It's not often that scoring-based guards truly reach the top of the mountain, but Young got close thanks to a sterling .460 from the field that turned his scoring into a double-plus thanks to his quality conversion rate on high volume. While the Hawks struggled to meet the expectations they set in reaching the ECF the year prior, Young dazzled and led the team back to the postseason with his brilliance. He's a player worth building around, whether you're Travis Schlenk or a fantasy manager. After a dip in his third season -- potentially a result of the mid-season coaching change -- Young bounced back to outstanding production, with his good health delivering huge returns in terms of total value.

This Year: We were looking for a few things out of Young following his third season, namely a leap to a good 3-point percentage (check given at .382) and an increase in volume (another check given with an increase of 2.6 shots per game). His reality will change again, however, with the Hawks going all-in and adding Dejounte Murray to share the backcourt. While it should spare Young some defensive work and wear and tear, we do expect his assists and scoring to come down now that he no longer has to put the entire offensive load on his shoulders. On the flip side, more off-ball work for Young could lead to better shots. Despite the new additions, the Hawks are Young's team and nobody is coming for his usage or playing time in a meaningful way.

Injury History: Last season was rather kind to Young, with six absences chalked up to a left quad contusion (one game), a right shoulder (contusion), back soreness (one game) and the health and safety protocols (three games). As a rookie he missed one game for rest purposes. In year two he ended up missing time due to illness (one game), a bruised right ankle (one game), a right thigh contusion (one game) and a right ankle sprain (three games between two occurrences). Both of his ankle sprains looked to be serious at the time of injury but obviously Young was able to heal quickly. His third season saw Young deal with more significant problems. He missed one game with a right calf contusion, one with left knee soreness, two with a left calf contusion, four with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain and then two in the postseason after suffering a bone bruise in his right foot.

Outlook: With a stat set like this, you're really living and dying by the efficiency marks. Young's ceiling won't be the same if Murray carries over his terrific play from San Antonio, but he still boasts a very sturdy floor. Young shouldn't be expected to repeat last year's outstanding marks but as long as he continues to shoot it this well he'll be a strong choice. Given the turmoil that most of the first/second-round turn options experienced last season (guys who were expected to be safe-ish, mind you), we'd expect to have to spend a pick in that range on Young.

*Originally published August 31, 2022