With the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks weaponizing their rosters, these teams can create an intense southeastern NBA rivalry.
If you analyze the state of the NBA in the southeast part of the United States one word comes to mind, promising. The Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks can create one of the best NBA rivalries in a long time.
The Charlotte Hornets had a really great draft day haul and picking up Gordon Hayward may have been pricey, but will still be a positive impact on the franchise. The Hornets really are arming up to make a competitive postseason push. Drafting the Australian phenom LaMelo Ball not only brings the limelight to Charlotte, and brings an electric playmaker. Most Improved candidate Devonte’ Graham will pair with Ball along with rookie sensation PJ Washington, the lineup will be competitive from the jump. Charlotte will also have the Michigan State alum Miles Bridges and Duke standout Vernon Carey Jr coming off the bench.
The Atlanta Hawks have made their fair share of moves this offseason as well. Atlanta has All-Star Trae Young, who brought energy to the organization since his rookie debut. Young will be paired with newly-acquired Bogdan Bogdanovic, who is an absolute lights-out shooter. The roster also traded for Rockets big man Clint Capela, who is absolutely brutal on putback buckets. The young talented Josh Collins gets to join with veteran playmaker Rajon Rondo, who recently signed with the Hawks for next season. The team also has the likes of the talented Cam Reddish and Kevin Huerter, who was phenomenal at the catch-and-shoot. Danilo Gallinari, a silent European scoring veteran also decided to sign with the team after rumors were flying around about him giving Dallas a chance.
Both of these teams seem to have made great offseason moves to bring the attention of the NBA to the bible belt. Both teams have talented young cores with unknown ceilings and have made major moves to revamp their starting lineup to make a postseason push.
The Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks could create the first intense NBA rivalry within the Southeast.
When looking at NBA rivalries, there is only one in the southern part of America, the battle of Florida between the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. Now this rivalry has been mostly one-sided for the entirety of the century. Miami has a 13 game lead in the head-to-head rivalry.
That being said, the Hornets and the Hawks are promising teams with young stars that can create an exciting NBA rivalry. The Battle in the South(yes, that’s my idea) between the Hawks and the Hornets can be a rivalry that brings the southern states into the NBA-scene.
Firstly having a LaMelo Ball/Trae Young advertisement will be so exciting for the region since it’s very rich in sports. The states of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina have a strong passion for sports and the rivalry between the Hawks and the Hornets can drip down to other sports. The rivalry between Charlotte and Atlanta can stretch out to the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons, and even Atlanta United of the MLS versus the soon-to-be-established Charlotte FC.
These states can bring so much passion to the bible belt that this rivalry can take center stage as one of the most electric regional sports rivalries that will cascade onto other sports and their cultures.