Lou Williams News

Prior to Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the NBA Draft Lottery was held for next season.

If Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are returning to their respective corners of the Staples Center, Josh Smith could be the most desirable free agent on the market.

More than a week after getting bounced from the NBA playoffs, the Atlanta Hawks are still trying to figure out who's going to coach them next season.

Although questions remain regarding who the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks might be and preparations for the NBA Draft will ramp up next week it is never too early to take an early look at free agency.

The Atlanta Hawks will have a much different complexion next year than they did throughout the 2012-2013 NBA season.

May 1, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Atlanta Hawks coach Larry Drew reacts on the sidelines against the Indiana Pacers in game five of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

This summer is going to be extremely busy as Danny Ferry and the Atlanta Hawks will have to fill up to 12 roster spots through the draft, free agency, and trades.

With Josh Smith 's contract coming off of the books, the Atlanta Hawks will have plenty of cap space to pursue free agents this offseason and take the next step in becoming an elite franchise in the NBA .

The Atlanta Hawks returned to Philips Arena Saturday to clean out lockers after losing Game 6 81-73, to the Indiana Pacers.

Whether he sticks around much longer is the most pressing issue for a team that expects a radical transformation this summer.

The Hawks will stick with their big starting lineup in Game 6 as they look to force Game 7 back in Indiana on Sunday.

Anthony Morrow didn't start the season in Dallas, so obviously he was not included in our season preview series back in September.

May 1, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson tries to sneak in with Atlanta Hawks Jeff Teague , Devin Harris , Al Horford , Ivan Johnson and Kyle Korver as they huddle up in game five of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

We won't call it a repeat performance but Game 5 was all too similar to Games 1 & 2 for the Atlanta Hawks .

We are seeing the other side of the Hawks' looking glass - the team that hustles, the players who share the ball for open looks, the Josh Smith who defends at one end, attacks at the other and broods at neither .

Quick Note: Though I wrote this before the final week of the regular season wrapped up, I just began writing here at SBNation.

Josh Smith and Al Horford know the routine. They know what it looks like to everyone on the outside.

In the hours and days after both of the Atlanta Hawks decisive losses to Indiana during their first-round series, a lot of talk has surfaced surrounding the foul/free-throw disparity that has occurred.

Keep your eyes on Josh Smith during the postseason, because his play could dramatically affect his future.