The Atlanta Hawks just saw their season end in the most demoralizing way possible, falling to the New York Knicks 140-89 in Game 6 of their round one series. The Knicks carried an 83-36 halftime lead, which was the largest in NBA playoff history.
In the grand scheme of things, the Hawks had a much better season than the New Orleans Pelicans. That being said, Atlanta just learned a troubling lesson about their backcourt that the Pelicans know all too well.
The Hawks feature several former Pelicans, including CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. In Game 6, that trio shot 8-of-25 from the field for 25 points. Although Daniels won the Most Improved Player award last season and Alexander-Walker won MIP this season, they still aren't elite enough guards to help carry a team to postseason success.
After moving on from Trae Young, the pressure shifted heavily onto this trio of guards, and while they had moments throughout the regular season, it wasn't sustainable. This is a situation the New Orleans Pelicans know all too well, as they also failed to reach real playoff success with these three.
Although the Hawks' future is still incredibly bright with Jalen Johnson at the helm and a projected top 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, their guard room is concerning. When it comes to guard play, the Pelicans' backcourt of Jeremiah Fears and Dejounte Murray has a much higher long-term upside and potential.
The Pelicans dodged a bullet the Hawks just took
The Hawks may have fallen into one of the NBA’s most dangerous traps: building around good guards instead of great ones. Given McCollum's age, he likely isn't a long-term piece, but both Daniels and NAW are.
Dyson Daniels is an exceptional defensive talent, a turnover machine, and for a while, had the Pelicans looking like fools for giving up on him so soon. But his continued offensive ineffectiveness has validated New Orleans' decision. The NBA is all about versatility and being able to impact both ends of the court, and when opposing defenses leave Daniels the way they do, it makes life harder for the other four guys on the court. And despite these obvious holes in his game, the Hawks gave him a massive 4-year, $100 million extension last season.
Alexander-Walker is in a similar boat, as he broke out this year and started to develop into the isolation bucket getter that the Pelicans hoped he would become when they drafted him. While that style brought him and the Hawks success in the regular season, he still isn't an elite enough scorer to really punish teams when the court shrinks in the playoffs.
Atlanta is now locked in long-term to two guards that have been incredibly miscast in roles they just aren't built for. Early on, New Orleans realized that, even at their peaks, neither Alexander-Walker nor Daniels would be good enough for the team to achieve real postseason success with. While Atlanta found more short-term success, New Orleans may be better positioned long-term, with their backcourt ceiling being much higher.
The Pelicans have a true franchise point guard in Jeremiah Fears and a proven winner in Dejounte Murray, while the Hawks are still searching for answers. Now, Atlanta is left facing the same reality New Orleans left behind.
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