The Atlanta Hawks will tip off their Summer League schedule on Saturday, and there's plenty of intrigue around this year's team.
The Players: The Hawks have several intriguing players on the roster, including 2014 draft picks Adreian Payne, Edy Tavares and Lamar Patterson. John Jenkins and Mike Muscala both return for another year of Summer League action, and Dennis Schröder looks to build on his rookie year with more Summer League experience. Those are at least five names fans will recognize assuming they all play. You can see the full roster here.
The Coaches: Darvin Ham is Atlanta's coach in Las Vegas after Quin Snyder accepted the head coaching job with the Utah Jazz. Assistants Taylor Jenkins and Kenny Atkinson will also be in Vegas. NBA head coaches usually don't coach the Summer League games, but Mike Budenholzer will most certainly be watching some if not all of the games from the stands, as well as have some involvement with practices.
The Schedule: The Hawks will play the Washington Wizards at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, the D-League team at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday and the Portland Trail Blazers at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The NBA seeds the 24 teams based on performance in the three preliminary games for a tournament that starts on Wednesday, and a consolation bracket as part of that gurantees every team five games. You can see them all on League Pass, and the game against the Blazers will also air on NBA TV. See the complete schedule here.
The Practices: Atlanta begins practice Wednesday in Las Vegas and will hold several prior to the first game, as well as one on Sunday. This is where the real work is done, as new players get a taste of Coach Bud's system.
Hawks.com will have comprehensive coverage of the team throughout the event.
Story by Jaryd Wilson