The Hawks traded their leading scorer for an expiring contract in July. They didn't have a coach or general manager until August; a prospective new owner (or owners) until mid-September; a starting point guard or shooting guard until late September; or a starting small forward until after training camp began in October.

So, after scrunching the offseason into a two-month sprint, do the Hawks have any chance of competing this year? If you ask most prognosticators, the answer is an unequivocal no.