Jan 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) moves to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith (17) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
During December, the Atlanta Hawks were one of the most talked about teams in the NBA. Atlanta went 8-4 and was in the mix to land a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference, getting as high as 5th. Since then though, they have gone 1-4 and have fallen to 9th in the standings, and star forward Jalen Johnson has missed four of the last five games. Despite all of that, the Hawks still have contenders for some of the top awards in the NBA.
De'Andre Hunter has had a career season for the Hawks and he has emerged as one of the top contenders for the NBA's 6th man of the year award. Hunter is currently at +400 to win the award at Fanduel Sportsbook, trailing only Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, who is -200 right now to win it. Hunter is averaging 19.6 PPG this season on 48% shooting from the field and 43% shooting from three, including a 63% true shooting percentage. The big question for the Hawks is if they will win enough games to get him the award. I think Hunter has been a better player than Pritchard this year (Pritchard has been really good though), but the Celtics are going to be a top three team in the Eastern Conference. If Atlanta can get into the top six of the East, that might be enough.
When it comes to the Most Improved Player of the Year, the Hawks have two contenders. Jalen Johnson (+600) and Dyson Daniels (+2500) have a shot to win it and the only thing stopping Johnson from winning it might be injuries. Johnson has missed three straight games and four of the last five and there has been no update on when he will be back. He is making a legitimate case to be an All-Star this season with the numbers that he is putting up. He is averaging 19.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and 5.3 APG on 51% shooting from the field and 33% from three. He also has an effective field goal percentage of 56%
Daniels has been one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders this season and looks like a cornerstone for the Hawks' future. Daniels leads the league in steals (3.1) and is averaging 12.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 3.6 APG, all of which are career-highs. Players like Cade Cunningham (+100), Tyler Herro (+700), Evan Mobley (+480), and Norm Powell (+1500) are going to be tough guys to beat, but Daniels and Johnson have a chance. Daniels is also +7500 to win Defensive Player of the Year.
The other player that is a realistic contender for an award is Zaccharie Risacher. Risacher is currently +3500 to win the Rookie of the Year award and I think that is too high. Risacher starts for the Hawks and while he is currently only shooting 28% from three, he is getting plenty of opportunity to knock down those shots and he is an impact defender. Risacher does not have the same role that other rookies do, but if his shot starts falling from deep, his odds are going to go up.
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