The Atlanta Hawks had made ten straight playoff appearances, but won just six series during that time, making the Eastern Conference Finals just once.
They had reached their ceiling, and various attempts to retool rather than rebuild the roster fell short.
It was time to start over.
Paul Millsap, who had made the All-Star team in each of his four years with the Hawks, was the first piece to fall, leaving for a lucrative deal in free agency with Denver. They also traded last season’s starting center to Charlotte for a few pieces.
They kept Dennis Schröder, and hoped to see more development from both him and 2nd year starter Taurean Prince.