The NBA preseason schedule is underway, and the Atlanta Hawks roster looks different than last year. The Hawks had to shake things up. After winning at least 40 games for three straight seasons and making the playoffs in those seasons as well, last season, the Hawks failed to do both. Our 2024-25 NBA preview will look at the Hawks odds and determine whether their win total odds are worth your best NBA futures bets.
2024-25 NBA Betting Preview: Atlanta Hawks Win Total Odds
*All Hawks odds are courtesy of FanDuel.com*
Identity Crisis
FULL TRADE DETAILS:
Pelicans receive:
Dejounte MurrayHawks receive:
Larry Nance Jr.
Dyson Daniels
2025 first round pick
2027 first round pick(via @ShamsCharania) pic.twitter.com/GArbffkP49
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 28, 2024
When the Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, it looked like Trae Young and the Hawks would be playoff staples for the foreseeable future. Now, just three seasons removed from that playoff run, they ended the 2023-24 season by only winning 36 games. They had an over/under of 42.5 by oddsmakers before the season. The Hawks missed the playoffs last season after being eliminated in the Play-In Tournament.
A lot of the Hawks disappointing season can be attributed to Young missing time from injury. Another reason is the lack of fit between him and fellow guard Dejounte Murray. Murray played two seasons with Young after the Hawks traded for the defensive guard to support Young’s defensive deficiencies. The Hawks were only 55-62 when Murray and Young played together.
Changing Directions
The Hawks 36-win season landed them the number one overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. They took a risk and picked widely unproven 19-year-old Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher. Risacher has an enticing upside but likely won’t be helping the Hawks win many games this season.
The biggest move for the Hawks this offseason was cutting ties with the Young-Murray backcourt. They traded Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr. and draft capital.
Zaccharie Risacher after practice today pic.twitter.com/ToeLalqgRj
— jackson caudell (@jacksoncaudell) October 1, 2024
Instead, the Hawks are hoping that a healthy season from Young, continued improvement from surprise standout Jalen Johnson, and a general reset will help them improve from last season. Daniels and Nance Jr. will contribute to a solid bench unit, but this team will likely go as far as Young can carry them.
Atlanta Hawks Odds
The Atlanta Hawks projected over/under win total for next season is set at 35.5 (over -115, under -105). This line is intriguing as they barely eclipsed the 35-win mark last season, and Young missed significant time. With needing to develop Risacher and having the draft capital that could help them rebuild, oddsmakers are probably factoring in the possibility of a Young trade into this projection.
Trae Young talking with us after practice today pic.twitter.com/5OBdM3zO1i
— jackson caudell (@jacksoncaudell) October 7, 2024
The Hawks have also gone under their projected win total for three straight seasons. Atlanta hasn’t won less than 36 games since Young’s second season in 2020-21. Therefore, if he is healthy and on the Hawks throughout the season, the over seems like a real possibility. Alternatively, if the Hawks decide that trading Murray wasn’t enough and that they want to start a full rebuild around Risacher and their other young talent, the Hawks could trade Young and fight for a top pick in next year’s draft.
