Today we continue the series with All-Star SG Joe Johnson. How do you think these players will do? Leave your answers in the comments!

Joe Johnson

2007 Stats: 25.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.4 apg, 47% FG, 75% FT

2007 Highlights: Pretty tough to pick out Joe's best games in any year, given his consistently excellent play. There was the Hawks-record seven-straight games with 25+ points to start a season, that was pretty nice. There was also a stretch of five straight games with 30+ points from November 28 - December 5. But my choice for his best game is the 39 points he dropped on Orlando in a 93-90 road win on January 26, followed closely by a 37-point performance in another road victory for the Hawks, the 101-99 OT thriller at New Jersey on Feb. 4. Of course, it's also hard to forget the 12 points he scored as a participant in the 2007 NBA All-Star game, the first appearance of his career (but hopefully not the last).

What he needs to work on this summer: Joe's game is pretty much above reproach at this point. He does everything well - defends his man, shoots for a high percentage, and is able to score in a variety of ways. If there is one thing I'd like to see Joe do more, it's get to the foul line and make more free throws once he gets there. For a guy who is as good a shooter as JJ is, he only shot 75% from the line in 2006-07. Joe only averaged 5.5 FTs per game, whereas a player like Dwyane Wade, got to the line 10+ time a game, and you can see where Joe could improve his scoring average by 2-3 points a game if he drew a few more whistles.

Otherwise, Joe just needs to continue to develop his arsenal. All the great players continue to adapt their game, adding new wrinkles every year to keep their opponents off-balance. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, JJ added in his spare time this offseason.

Click here to see Joe Johnson's video highlights!

Outlook for 2007-08: Clearly, Joe is the most important piece to the puzzle for the Hawks. Last season he suffered  through a rash of injuries for the first time in his career, perhaps due to his Team USA duties throughout the previous off-season. This summer he was able to take it easy, which hopefully will keep him healthier. Teams know that stopping Joe is the key to stopping Atlanta, so he will once again have to deal with a steady diet of double- and sometimes triple-teams.

Joe's teammates developed some confidence in his absence towards the end of last season, especially Josh Smith. Hopefully, their play also instilled some confidence in JJ as well, who at times went it alone late in games to try to win games for the Hawks. That's a lot of pressure for one player to deal with, and not a great recipe for success if other teams know exactly what you are going to do when you need buckets. If the other Hawks can continue to produce at a high enough level to take some of the heat off, Joe can become even more dangerous to opponents and the team could really take a step forward this year.

We are only a few weeks away from finding out!

Today we continue the series with sharpshooter Salim Stoudamire. How do you think these players will do? Leave your answers in the comments!

Salim Stoudamire

2007 Stats: 7.7 ppg, 36% 3-pt FG, 90% FT

2007 Highlights: Salim's minutes yo-yoed throughout the year, seeing a lot at the beginning, less towards the middle, and pitching back upwards towards the end of the season when the injuries began to pile up. Still, Stoudamire managed to put up some impressive numbers, including a career-high (and second best effort on the team all-season) 37 points in a 102-100 loss to Portland on March 23. Stoudamire was an incredible 14-20 from the field in that game, including 6-9 from downtown. He was similarly hot in a 115-102 win over Milwaukee on April 6, nailing seven 3's accounting for all of his 21 points, and dropped 26 on Sacramento in a rough 117-92 loss on Dec. 10.

What he needs to work on this summer: Salim's playing time seems to fluctuate with his defensive effort and his ability to limit mistakes. Stoudamire plays with such white-hot intensity, it sometimes gets the better of him and he gets down on himself when things take a turn for the worse. Therefore, he needs to continue to work on controlling his emotions during games.

In strictly basketball terms though, Salim will have to prove he can distribute the ball more effectively if he wants to get minutes in the Hawks' crowded backcourt. And, I never thought I'd say this, but he actually needs to improve his shooting. Though most consider Stoudamire to be one of the best shooters in the game, a 41% FG mark a year ago doesn't back it up. I blame a lot of that on a lack of consistent minutes, and the fact that he tends to force a few shots early on to get himself in rhythm. But a guy with his ability should rarely be below 50%, even considering how many 3-pointers he takes.

Outlook for 2007-08: The team wants to play more up-tempo this season, which is good news for a guy like Salim, whose game translates much better to that than the slow-it-down pace of the past.

Stoudamire has been working extremely hard this off-season to improve himself. Because of his lack of size he will probably never be the defensive player the coaches would like him to be, but if he focuses on what he needs to improve on (fighting through screens, learning to defend the pick and roll, and pressuring the dribbler's ball hand) he won't force them to keep him out of the lineup in late-game situations.

With the addition of Acie Law (Anthony Johnson is relatively new as well, but it's unlikely Royal Ivey will return), there are fewer minutes to go around this year as stated previously. However, Salim provides something that really only Joe Johnson has proven himself capable of on this team - the ability to score points in bunches. Like JJ, when Salim is on, it is a sight to behold.

If he can get off to a good start and get his confidence going, he could really solidify his spot in the rotation and make a significant contribution.

Do you agree?

Today we continue the series with point guard Speedy Claxton. How do you think these players will do? Leave your answers in the comments!

Speedy Claxton

2007 Stats: 5.3 ppg, 4.4 apg, 1.7 spg

2007 Highlights: It was a tough season for Speedy, to say the least. A broken finger cost him most of the preseason, and chronic knee pain kept him in and out of the lineup until he eventually had to shut it down for the season in early March. There really weren't many highlights to speak of, but he did show glimpses of what Hawks fans were hoping to see in back-to-back games in December, scoring 19 points and dishing out 11 assists in a 97-88 win at Memphis on Dec. 15 and following that with another double-double (10 points, 11 dimes) in a 106-105 loss to Chicago on Dec. 16.

What he needs to work on this summer: It's hard to pinpoint one thing, given how much went wrong for Speedy in 06-07. He shot 55% from the free throw line, 21% worse than his career average, for example. I think it's safe to say at least some of last year was an aberration. Claxton had arthroscopic surgery on his knee, and has been working out in Vancouver this summer with one of the top sports physiotherapists in the world. Hopefully, improvements to his health and to the competition around him will have him back to the form that led the Hawks to sign him in the first place. So far at least, the word is he is healthy and ready to show what he can do.

Click here to see Speedy's video highlights!

Outlook for 2007-08: As much grief as Speedy got for his season a year ago, there is no doubting his importance to the team's outlook for 2007-08. With the team promising to play more up-tempo, Claxton is just the type of point guard the team needs to implement that kind of style. I simply refuse to believe that Speedy is as bad as he looked last year. This is a guy who finished second in the 6th Man voting as recently as 05-06 - clearly he has talent. For him it will be all about staying healthy, but I also think the stiffened competition at the point from T-Lue, Acie Law, and Anthony Johnson will help to raise his game as well.

The Hawks need Speedy to play to the level they though him capable of when they signed him, and Speedy needs to play well to redeem himself from a nightmare campaign a year ago.

This subplot will go a long way towards determining the team's success.

Agree?

Today we continue the series with third-year F Marvin Williams. How do you think these players will do? Leave your answers in the comments!

Marvin Williams

2007 Stats: 13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 82% FT

2007 Highlights: A year ago, Marvin was coming off an MVP performance in summer league and everyone was looking forward to seeing how he would perform in his second season in the league. But, fate had other plans, and a broken finger sidelined him for the season's first 17 games. It took a little while for Marvin to work himself back into game shape, but once he got it going he had several good games. For my money, his best performance was the 23 points he dropped on Chicago in the Hawks excruciating 106-104 loss on Dec. 16. It was only his sixth game back, but Marvin showed off the promise Atlanta fans had been waiting for as he hit several big shots in the second half to keep the Hawks in the lead (one which they would ultimately blow in overtime, sadly). Other good efforts were 24 and 7 in a 98-85 loss to Washington on Apr. 13, and 23 points on 10-15 shooting in the season-ending win over Indiana.

What he needs to work on this summer: Marvin may have the prettiest looking shot on the team (Joe and Salim included), and he is already one of the best mid-range shooters in the league. The key for him for the future is extending his range further out to make himself a 3-point threat. Last season he made only 25% (13-53) of his attempts from beyond the arc, which in this writer's opinion is not only too low a percentage but also way too few attempts. Once Marvin adds more strength, I feel certain he'll improve in this category. 

Click here to see Marvin's video highlights!

Outlook for 2007-08: If Josh Smith is the hyper-aggressive type, making mistakes because he is constantly pressing the action, then Marvin is his exact opposite. Marv keeps mistakes to a minimum on the court, which is a good thing for the most part. But, as the saying goes, sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. Marvin needs to show more aggressiveness in his third season, and if it leads to a few more miscues I think it is something the team can live with if it means having him dictate the action more often.

Since Joe Johnson and Josh Smith appear somewhat firmly cemented in the #1 and #2 roles on offense, Marvin has a chance to really capitalize on a lack of attention from opposing defenses and make teams pay with his shooting ability. If he starts out hot, other teams will have to start rethinking their defensive priorities, and any time you can create indecision on the part of your opponent you can do some real damage.

What do you think?

Today we continue the series with center Zaza Pachulia. How do you think these players will do? Leave your answers in the comments!

Zaza Pachulia

2007 Stats: 12.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg (2.8 offensive), 1.5 apg, 47% FG, 79% FT

2007 Highlights: The Hawks big man had several nice games for the Hawks, putting up 13 double-doubles to finish second on the team in that category. His best handiwork though came in a 100-97 win over Washington on March 7, when he popped for a career-high 27 points and 12 rebounds. His performance was particularly important considering it was the first game the team played after losing Joe Johnson to a calf injury that would eventually end his season. ZP had other gems as well, including 22 and 12 in a late-season win over Boston and 23 and 10 in a close home loss to the champion Spurs.

What he needs to work on this summer: Zaza has long been known for his prowess on the offensive glass (he finished 17th in the league at 2.8 per game). Now he needs to round out his production on the defensive end better as well. The Hawks have had trouble in the past with giving up second chance opportunities, so the more defensive snags Hawks big men like Pachulia can get, the better the team will do.

Click here to see Zaza's video highlights!

Outlook for 2007-08: Zaza had a somewhat up-and-down season last year, losing his starting spot to Lorenzen Wright for a spell while recovering from injury. Still, he had several stretches of impressive play, especially right after the All-Star break. Though he is still just 23 years old, Zaza will be counted on to be one of the veteran leaders of the frontcourt for young guys like Al Horford and Shelden Williams.

With so many bigs fighting for playing time (the team still employs Lorenzen Wright and Solomon Jones) it will be interesting to see how all the minutes are divided. But as long as Zaza continues to pound away on the glass, you can count on him being out there for extended periods of time.

Today we continue the series with jack-of-all-trades G/F Josh Childress. How do you think these players will do? Leave your answers in the comments!

Josh Childress

2007 Stats: 13.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 50% FG, 80% FT

2007 Highlights: A slow starter his first two seasons in the league, Chills started out hot for the Hawks, making up for the absence of Marvin Williams by putting up 15+ points in four of the team's first seven games. Unfortunately, the injury bug hit him soon thereafter, as a stress fracture in his foot cost him 27 games the rest of the season. In 55 games, he still managed to have some pretty terrific performances. He put up a stat-stuffing 22 points, 12 boards, 6 assists and 5 blocks in a 102-100 loss to Portland on March 23, 23 points and a season-high 14 rebounds in a 100-96 win over Boston on January 15, and poured in a season-high 25 in a 99-76 pasting of Sacto on March 19.

Here is an interesting nugget I found while looking over his season, by the way. If you consider Chills a guard (and I do) more than a forward, then his 2.2 offensive rebounds per game was the best in the NBA amongst all guards. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

What he needs to work on this summer: Getting healthy (a recurring theme in these recaps, eh?). The Hawks need Chills on the court as much as possible, as he is the type of player who does all of the little things needed to get wins on a consistent basis. Josh's 3-pt FG percentage dipped last season from nearly 50% to 34%, but that's more in line with what most players typically shoot from long range. It's hard to think of one particular thing he needs to work on, as he has always struck me as a guy who is good at a lot of things but not necessarily great at any one thing. Basically, he needs to work on getting a little better at everything (not too much to ask, is it?).

Click here to see J-Chill's video highlights!

Outlook for 2007-08: Chills has kept a somewhat low profile on the Hawks offensively in the past, letting the game come to him and rarely forcing anything. It has served him well, as he has had very high shooting percentages in each of his first three years. However, going into his fourth season, I think he needs to assert himself more. Not in a way that will make him force things, but in a way that makes opposing defenses take more notice of where he is and, ideally, force them to think harder about double-teaming JJ.

Chill, like Josh, is playing for a contract extension, so it's important he play well if he wants to really get paid.

What say you?

Today we continue the series with second-year post player Shelden Williams. How do you think these players will do? Leave your answers in the comments!

Shelden Williams

2007 Stats: 5.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 46% FG, 76% FT, 0.5 bpg

2007 Highlights: Shelden's productivity in his rookie season was quite parabolic (did I just blow your mind with that math reference?). He started out playing well, receiving a lot of playing time in the absence of various Hawks players, then saw his production dip severely when his frontcourt brethren came back healthier. The Landlord rebounded (figuratively and literally) late in the season though, taking advantage of increased floor time to win Rookie of the Month honors for the Eastern Conference in April. He finished the season with four straight double-doubles (and led all rookies in that category on the season), including 16 points and 17 rebounds in the season's penultimate game against Milwaukee.

What he needs to work on this summer: Shelden played most of last season as a power forward, but started to come on strong when he was switched to the 5. If he projects to play more center in the future (or really, wherever he plays), he needs to shoot better from the field. 46% FG for a big man is subpar. At times last year, Shelden appeared to be trying to do too much at one time (a problem for almost every NBA rookie). If he works on continuing to develop a few go-to moves and stays away from his weaknesses, his shooting percentages and scoring average should go up.

Click here to see Shelden's video highlights!

Outlook for 2007-08: Shelden got off to a good start this summer, playing well enough in Salt Lake City to earn All-League honors at the Rocky Mountain Revue. If he can build on the confidence he gained at the end of last season and this summer, he has a chance to earn more significant minutes in a crowded Hawks frontcourt. But with rookie big man Al Horford to challenge for time at center, Shelden will have to hit the ground running.

With summer league play over (job well done Shelden and Acie, nabbing All-RMR honors - and Al Horford might have if he hadn't hurt his ankle), and nothing else really going on until the start of training camp in October, I thought this would be a good time to take a look at the Hawks roster and check out everyone's status on the team. It should be a good way to kill some time over the next few weeks and help bridge the gap until the season starts!

Today I thought we'd begin the series with one of the Hawks' biggest stars, entering fourth-year forward Josh Smith. How do you think these players will do? Leave your answers in the comments!

Josh Smith

2007 Stats: 16.4 ppg (second on team), 8.6 rpg (led team), 2.9 bpg (2nd in NBA), 3.3 apg, 1.4 spg

2007 Highlights: Josh had several terrific games in 2006-07: 28 points and a career-high 18 rebounds in a late-season win over Milwaukee, a near triple-double (missing it by a single point, of all things) in a rout of Sacramento on Mar. 19, or a stat-stuffing 26 points, 17 boards, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 3 block night in a win over Philly on Mar. 13.

For my money though, Smoove's best game of the year came in a win over Minnesota on Mar. 10, when he torched the nets for a career-high 32 points on 12-15 shooting. Smith took over the game, stepping easily into the role of go-to guy in the absence of Joe Johnson.

What he needs to work on this summer: Josh still turns the ball over too much, and needs to work on picking and choosing his spots for his jumper. A 25% rate on 3-point attempts is not going to keep defenses from sagging off on him to guard against penetration. It also appears that his future is at the power forward position, so developing some more low-post moves is in his best interest as well. Fortunately, that's exactly what he is doing, as he is working on his offensive game in Houston this summer with Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Calvin Murphy.

Click here to see Josh's video highlights!

Outlook for 2007-08: Josh's numbers have improved across the board in each of his three seasons so far. So what Josh Smith will we see during the 2007-08 Hawks campaign? Will we see an emerging player that stepped his game up in the absence of Joe Johnson towards the end of last season? Will he continue to be an aggressive player that attacks the rim with no regard for his opponent on offense and protects the rim like the '85 Bears on defense?

The arrival of a physical low-post defender like Al Horford should lead to improved defensive play from Smith. Horford's presence on the post will allow Josh to better defend his man on the wing and help out inside like always. On offense, it will be interesting to see if the improvements Smoove is working on this summer (plus the confidence he gained while JJ was hurt) leads to him firmly establishing himself as an offensive threat that teams have to respect on each possession. With him and the arrival of sharpshooter Acie Law, perhaps the days of teams double- and triple-teaming Joe Johnson are over.