Welcome to THE Home of the Ca-Caw Podcast
Welcome to THE Home of the Ca-Caw Podcast
The #1 Place for Atlanta Hawks news, updates, gossip, & analysis.
the latest on Giannis and the hawks
TOP STORY:
The Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury News Could Have Massive Ramifications On The Atlanta Hawks
What? Giannis Antetokounmpo said he expects to miss four to six weeks with a right calf/soleus strain suffered in Milwaukee’s 102–100 loss to Denver on Jan. 23. The Bucks are 18–26, 11th in the East. Atlanta owns the more favorable 2026 first-rounder between New Orleans and Milwaukee. ESPN, Reuters, ESPN (assets)
So What? If the Bucks slide while Giannis sits, the Hawks’ “better-of NOP/MIL” 2026 pick gains lottery odds, boosting Atlanta’s ammunition in a retool, or its ability to hold the pick as a blue-chip asset through the deadline.
Now What? Watch for MRI results and any setback/return timeline (target late February to early March), Milwaukee’s record without Giannis, and moves before the Feb. 5 deadline. Track Pelicans’ position too—both outcomes affect Atlanta’s pick value. AP/NBA.com, AP recap
January 20 Episode:
Now that Trae can't be blamed, who is to blame? Do the Hawks actually have a level up to go anyway? Has Quinn Snyder lost the locker room? What would the Hawks need to do to actually compete for a championship in the next handful of years?
JP: No Trae anymore. And the Atlanta Hawks are on a four-game losing streak. They've lost, due to Los Angeles Lakers, 116 to 141. Again, they absolutely just got clobbered. The Lakers, in fairness to them, the Lakers had lost the night before in a back-to-back. JJ. Reddick got really mad at them. And so they came out crazy out of the gates. Then they lost to the, at the Portland Trail Blazers, a team they shouldn't have lost to. And then they lost to the Boston Celtics, 106 to 132. And then the Milwaukee Bucks yesterday on MLK Day, 110 to 112. Again, they clawed back into and was kind of even an achievement to be able to lose it at the last second. But Trae, like, is it even news at this point in time that they just aren't that good? Like, I had no, I totally forgot that they beat the Nuggets away and the Warriors away last week.
TN: Yes, they suck.
Listen to the whole thing:The hawks still suck
January 20 Episode:
Now that Trae can't be blamed, who is to blame? Do the Hawks actually have a level up to go anyway? Has Quinn Snyder lost the locker room? What would the Hawks need to do to actually compete for a championship in the next handful of years?
JP: No Trae anymore. And the Atlanta Hawks are on a four-game losing streak. They've lost, due to Los Angeles Lakers, 116 to 141. Again, they absolutely just got clobbered. The Lakers, in fairness to them, the Lakers had lost the night before in a back-to-back. JJ. Reddick got really mad at them. And so they came out crazy out of the gates. Then they lost to the, at the Portland Trail Blazers, a team they shouldn't have lost to. And then they lost to the Boston Celtics, 106 to 132. And then the Milwaukee Bucks yesterday on MLK Day, 110 to 112. Again, they clawed back into and was kind of even an achievement to be able to lose it at the last second. But Trae, like, is it even news at this point in time that they just aren't that good? Like, I had no, I totally forgot that they beat the Nuggets away and the Warriors away last week.
TN: Yes, they suck.
Listen to the whole thing:TOP STORY
Ca-Caw!!!
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What?
SI lists Atlanta’s top assets in order: (1) 2026 first-round pick (most favorable of Pelicans/Bucks), (2) Kristaps Porziņģis, (3) CJ McCollum, (4) Luke Kennard, (5) Zaccharie Risacher, (6) Corey Kispert. The piece notes the Trae Young trade reset and over $70M in expiring money.
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So What?
That lotto-tilted 2026 pick is labeled “untouchable,” while Porziņģis and McCollum are framed as prime matching-salary pieces—leverage that could fuel a star swing or depth consolidation without mortgaging the future. Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are deemed off-limits.
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Now What?
Track whether Atlanta packages expiring deals (Porziņģis/McCollum/Kennard) and keeps Risacher. Monitor reporting on a follow-up move before the deadline; local SI has already floated the possibility of “another trade up its sleeve.” Further reading:
Trae Trade recap
January 13 Episode:
JP: Huge, huge, huge, huge week for the Atlanta Hawks. Of course, what everyone in the league is talking about, and what we're talking about, they won three games in a row. They beat the Pelicans, the Nuggets, the Warriors, which is newsworthy.
But of course, it's not as newsworthy as Trae Young was finally traded after 14 years of being traded. He goes to the Washington Wizards for CJ. McCollum and some white guy's name I've already forgot, and I don't have directly in front of me.
TN: Kispert, come on, don't, don't slag on our new handsome boy.
JP: Corey, Corey Kispert. So Travis, what? I was shocked by how little I cared.
I was very sick, but even in my sickness and past my sickness, I mean, I woke from my couple days of being sick to literally like three or four Trae Young texts that I didn't even bother responding to from other friends and things like that....
Listen to the whole thing:TOP STORY
What?
The Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers are set to face off on Jan. 11, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with both teams dealing with key injuries affecting their starting lineups and rotations.
So What?
This game illustrates the impact of player availability and team depth on competitive balance, offering insight into how organizations manage resources and injuries amid the physical demands of the NBA season, which can inform discussions on labor conditions and athlete well-being.
Now What?
Watch for updates on player statuses, especially for Atlanta’s frontcourt and the Lakers’ star players, and observe how injury management influences game outcomes and team strategies this season, with further context found in ongoing NBA injury reports and team analyses.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Should the Hawks be trying to get Anthony Davis at all?
January 6 Episode:
JP:Real quick, apologies for getting this out late. I was a little under the weather and had a little trouble getting it out on time. So we recorded this Monday, January 5th, before the Hawks played the Raptors and lost, and before the news of the Trey Young trade request, trade okay with his agent's news broke.
We will get into that next week, and the podcast will be out on the time of the manner next week. Again, apologies, and here is CaCaw.
Welcome to the CaCaw Podcast. Uh, I'm Jesse, that was Travis with the CaCaw. And let's get into it.
The Atlanta Hawks entered the week last time we spoke in the middle of a seven game losing streak. And they luckily ended it. In the next game, they played the Timberwolves.
They won 126 to 102. They won their next game against the New York Knicks, 111 to 99. They then lost to the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, 117 to 134. They are now 17 and 20. They are 10th in the playoff standings in the East.
So right in their favorite spot, the play-in.[…]” ....
Listen to the whole thing:TOP STORY
Headline: Farewell Trae Young, hello CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert | Peachtreehoops
What?
The Atlanta Hawks traded All-Star point guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, receiving CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert in return, marking a significant roster change ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season.
So What?
This trade shifts power within the Hawks organization by ending Young’s franchise-defining era and introducing experienced and younger players, offering new opportunities for team identity and community engagement while highlighting management’s strategic pivot amidst concerns over player contracts and defensive performance.
Now What?
Watch how McCollum and Kispert integrate into the Hawks’ lineup and locker room dynamic, the team’s defensive adjustments moving forward, and the broader market impact on player movements and contract negotiations, with further context provided in detailed player performance analyses and Hawks management statements embedded in the source article.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
White elephant take swap (plus the hawks are in trouble)
December 23 Episode Breakdown: Trae Young is back in the Atlanta Hawks lineup. But instead of an immediate spark, the team has hit a wall. In this episode, we break down exactly how Trae has looked in his first games back on the floor. Is it just expected rust, or are there concerning signs in his movement and decision-making?
We dissect the brutal 0-3 week that greeted his return. Is it fair to place the blame on the reintegration of a high-usage superstar, or does this losing streak expose a roster that was simply overperforming in his absence? The defense has slipped, the offensive rhythm is clunky, and we are forced to ask the question no fan wants to hear: Are the Hawks actually... bad?
Finally, we lighten the mood with our favorite holiday tradition: the "Old Time Classic Traditional Yankee Gift Christmas NBA Take Swap." We wrap up our most volatile, high-risk NBA opinions and exchange them gift-style. You can steal a take, trade for a better one, or get stuck defending a scorcher. Unwrapping basketball truths has never been this chaotic.
TOP STORY
Headline: Potential Hawks Anthony Davis Trade Does Not Include Star Guard | Heavy
What?
The Atlanta Hawks are exploring a potential trade for Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks before the February 5th trade deadline, reportedly without including their star guard Trae Young, but would need to offer draft picks and young assets instead.
So What?
This trade discussion highlights the strategic power dynamics and resource allocation in professional sports, showing how teams balance talent retention with long-term rebuilding through asset management, an issue relevant to progressive communicators thinking about equity in institutional decision-making.
Now What?
Watch for developments on this trade and any player contract extensions or salary cap adjustments, as well as coverage on the impact of trading high-profile athletes for draft capital, with further context available on NBA trade strategies and labor negotiations.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
porkchop zYngus is ill
December 15 Episode Breakdown: Waiting on Trae and The "Zyngus" Blues
On this week's episode of the Ca-Caw Podcast, we are navigating a rough stretch for the Atlanta Hawks and looking around the league at some surprising developments. Here is a partial, automated transcript.
Jesse: So, you were talking about the "Porkchop Zyngus" thing.
Travis: Yeah.
Jesse: You were talking about how much you miss him. I found out he has POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and gets tired all the time.
Travis: It's a syndrome where—I think it might happen with taller people—it’s not just being tired. It’s this fatigue where he’s like, "I can't do anything." It’s one of those autoimmune, misunderstood syndromes. It must be hell for him.
Jesse: I think the Hawks are going to have to make some tough decisions about him this offseason. They obviously can't pay him what Milwaukee is paying him.
Travis: That could be what happens for the Hawks now. He’s just not reliable. But there's a chance he would be good in the playoffs. The problem is he’s not a plug-and-play player.
Jesse: They’ve got to make a decision about him.
Travis: I like the idea that it’s like if Luke Kennard ate a magic power-up. Players are like, "Eat the pork chop and you'll turn into Zingis." He turns into Zingis and wreaks havoc, then shrinks back down into Kennard, who is essentially useless.
Jesse: We’re going to stop talking basketball here and go talk with some friends. We will continue this session when they come back.
[Recording break]
Travis: The loss to the Pistons was a reality check. I felt like they were either going to beat the Pistons because they had played them twice before, or they were just going to get their asses kicked. That they got their asses kicked was not surprising, but it was disappointing. The defense was horrendous.
Travis: Then moving to the Sixers game, it was interesting to watch them without (Tyrese) Maxey. He really is the heart and soul of their team. Embiid is still sad to watch—lurching around and talking shit.
Travis: And Andre Drummond has big-time "wearing the T-shirt to the pool" kid energy. No shade to the kids—I wear a sun rash guard now for health reasons—but Drummond definitely has that energy as a guy who is wearing the T-shirt to the pool but can rebound like a motherfucker.
Jesse: Even back with the Lakers, he was one of the best rebounders in the NBA. He’s got 1.8 rebounds a game, 2.3 assists and 4.6 blocks.
Travis: Okongwu played Embiid really well.
Jesse: The thing that stands out to me is how much more confident he is in his game now than a year ago.
Travis: Paul George, similar to C.J. McCollum, was going off. It points to the fact that the Hawks weirdly have very bad wing defense.
Jesse: There’s a theory that Keaton Wallace is a little like Keaton Young—he has a lot of energy, but maybe shouldn't be getting as many minutes.
Travis: It moves the problem where he shouldn't be playing, but who else are you going to play? You have Jacob Toppin, but he got injured and they cut him. They've got N'Faly Dante, who is a legit center, but he's hurt. Even the defensive specialists you might get at the end of the bench, you don't have.
Travis: Quinn (Snyder) does some weird rotation stuff. Last night, Risacher [transcribed as "Reece Ashby"] was playing really well, and then he just seemed to get benched. It’s almost like he’s on a minutes restriction. He’ll hit three or four jumpers, get a steal, lead the transition, and then—nope, he's out. And Vit [transcribed as "Veet"] is back in.
Jesse: It is funny how they keep switching things around on him.
Travis: It’s a tough situation because they’ve got people out. They have people like Asa Newell who they're trying to coach up. Sometimes he looks great, and other times it's like, "Oh God, you gotta get him off the court."
Jesse: He's a rookie. He’s 22. What do you expect?
Travis: Except Derek Queen (Dyson Daniels/Jalen Johnson context).
Jesse: He is now the leader in steals, even though he's only played 11 games.
Travis: I hate the triple-double focus. On the broadcast, they said, "He doesn't care about those numbers, he just wants to win." I was like, "Pfft, he 100% cares about those numbers." It’s a goofy metric. You get the Russell Westbrook triple-double, which is not what Jalen Johnson is getting.
Jesse: I think it shows he is getting better, but at a very slow pace. He had 10 rebounds and six assists in his first game back.
Travis: I hate the courts [for the NBA Cup]. They’re atrocious.
Jesse: I don't think it's by accident that they always start with LeBron and AD at the point.
Travis: I love the idea that their strategy is for people to see out of the corner of their eye that there's something going on—like a "blind box" visual element where you're like, "What the fuck?"
Jesse: Now that we're into the playoffs, the Lakers and Clippers are still in it.
Travis: I don't think anyone cares about the NBA Cup. It matters more than the All-Star Game, obviously, which is a joke. If you win the NBA Cup and make the Finals, maybe you should get home-court advantage.
Jesse: Even the fact that they're playing each other in the first round is a huge deal.
Travis: There was this narrative of, "How many championships is Oklahoma City going to win? They’re the most dominant team ever." Then they lose to the Spurs. The Thunder are front-runners; they kill people when they’re ahead, but when they get punched in the mouth, they get spooked.
Jesse: The Thunder are going to be that team this year where everyone is expecting them to win, but they just can't do it.
Travis: I would 100% take the field over the Thunder regarding the championship.
Jesse: I’m not buying into this viral hype thing about the Lakers.
Travis: It sounds like you're a long-time, closet Lakers fan. You just needed permission to come out and say you have this horrendous brain rot that makes you think their yellow and purple nonsense is good branding.
Jesse: I’ve never been more happy to be a Laker than I was that day.
Travis: The Lakers fans mean it. They’re insufferable.
Jesse: You mentioned some of the most surprising things around the league.
Travis: People talk about it being a copycat league in terms of play, but it’s also a copycat league in terms of how it's covered. One thing I've seen is people talking about offensive rebounds.
Travis: Fred Katz had reporting in The Athletic about a strategy called "tagging up." Traditionally, the shot goes up and you box out. Tagging up is essentially boxing in because of the longer rebounds. You push the defense in so they can't transition into offense, and you have one guy streak in for the rebound. The Knicks and Celtics are really good at this.
Jesse: Watching the Sixers, they are getting a lot of offensive rebounds because they're putting the defense in.
Travis: I was watching the Sixers last night because they have Drummond, Embiid and Paul George. They were getting a lot of offensive rebounds. They would space people out and have one guy crash the boards. The Hawks don't really do that, but they could because they don't have good rebounders.
Travis: I looked it up; the Hawks are 13th in the league in shots per game. They have a 23% offensive rebounding rate, whereas there are 20 teams now over 30%.
Jesse: They’re 23rd in points, rebounds and assists per game.
Travis: I’m going to see if I can watch a Skyhawks game to see if they're experimenting with this strategy.
Jesse: I think about Philip Rivers and all the kids right now—10 kids, 11 kids.
Travis: I watched the highlight of him throwing a touchdown. I tried to explain to Monica that he has 10 kids. She said, "That's totally normal." I said, "No, 10 is too many."
Jesse: He’s 44 years old.
Travis: A 44-year-old with 10 kids. Either what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and that man is indestructible, or he's going to be crying because he's so tired.
Jesse: And the whole thing about "Mr. Falcon." That’s a nickname, right?
Travis: "Son of a biscuit sugar! You stinking Mr. Falcon!" If you find a supercut of Philip Rivers calling people "Mr. Falcon" or "Mickety Mucks," please let me know.
Jesse: I had a friend, "John." He told me, "I curse a lot. When I was younger, people would curse at me."
Travis: I told Benjamin and Kimberly this story. At my house growing up, there was a lot of cursing. It was not normal cursing; it was deep in the bag of swearing.
Travis: My good friend Brian came over to spend the night. It was the first time. We were being loud. A little after midnight, my stepdad comes stomping down the stairs in tighty-whities—the big power move on the sleepover. He wasn't screaming, but it was a guttural, low, scary version. He said, "It is fucking imperative that you be quiet." Then he walked back upstairs.
Travis: Brian looked at me, white as a sheet, and whispered, "What does imperative mean?" He didn't sleep over again until my third-grade birthday party where we watched "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3," and he got so scared he started crying.
Jesse: That’s really bad.
Travis: So, the Hawks. On Thursday they have the Hornets, and then Friday they are home for the Spurs. We get a little Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) in our lives.
Jesse: When is the Bulls game?
Travis: Monday. I think 2-and-1 would be great. I need to bank them now.
Travis: I saw Wemby two years ago. He wasn't good then, and it was still insane. There's a chance I'm going on Friday.
Travis: My friend Kirby went to the doctor, and they measured him at 6 feet. I told him, "You're done. Never go again. On your tombstone, it will say Kirby Roots Murty was 6-foot-0."
TOP STORY
Headline: Atlanta Hawks lose steam, suffer blowout loss to San Antonio Spurs on Friday | Ajc
What?
The Atlanta Hawks lost 126-98 to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, during their second night of back-to-back games in Atlanta.
So What?
This loss reflects the physical and endurance challenges faced by the Hawks, highlighting the impact of scheduling demands on players' performance and potential vulnerabilities tied to resource and stamina disparities.
Now What?
Watch for how the Hawks manage player health and competitive edge in upcoming games, especially following rest periods, and for further coverage on the implications of back-to-back game schedules on athlete well-being and team dynamics. ESPN Coverage on Back-to-Back Games and Athlete Fatigue
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
how good is jalen johnson really?
Have the Hawks reverted back to a bad team? How good will Jalen Johnson actually be? Really... could Giannis be traded? Like to the Hawks?
TOP STORY
Headline: Atlanta Hawks lose steam, suffer blowout loss to San Antonio Spurs on Friday | Ajc
What?
The Atlanta Hawks lost 126-98 to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, during their second night of back-to-back games in Atlanta.
So What?
This loss reflects the physical and endurance challenges faced by the Hawks, highlighting the impact of scheduling demands on players' performance and potential vulnerabilities tied to resource and stamina disparities.
Now What?
Watch for how the Hawks manage player health and competitive edge in upcoming games, especially following rest periods, and for further coverage on the implications of back-to-back game schedules on athlete well-being and team dynamics. ESPN Coverage on Back-to-Back Games and Athlete Fatigue
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
EMERgency antetoca-cawmpo pod
What?
The Atlanta Hawks, facing setbacks from injuries during the 2025 NBA season, are expected to put $60 million player Kristaps Porzingis on the trade block to focus on building their team around young star Jalen Johnson in Atlanta.
So What?
This shift reflects a strategic repositioning that highlights generational change and resource allocation in sports, underscoring progressive narratives around investing in emerging talent and equitable team-building in professional leagues.
Now What?
Watch for trade developments involving Porzingis before the NBA deadline and analysis of how this move affects the Hawks’ competitiveness in the Eastern Conference, with further context available at Sporting News.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
are these hawks heckle (good) or jeckle (bad)?
What?
The Atlanta Hawks, facing setbacks from injuries during the 2025 NBA season, are expected to put $60 million player Kristaps Porzingis on the trade block to focus on building their team around young star Jalen Johnson in Atlanta.
So What?
This shift reflects a strategic repositioning that highlights generational change and resource allocation in sports, underscoring progressive narratives around investing in emerging talent and equitable team-building in professional leagues.
Now What?
Watch for trade developments involving Porzingis before the NBA deadline and analysis of how this move affects the Hawks’ competitiveness in the Eastern Conference, with further context available at Sporting News.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
how good is this trae-less hawks team?
What?
The Atlanta Hawks, facing setbacks from injuries during the 2025 NBA season, are expected to put $60 million player Kristaps Porzingis on the trade block to focus on building their team around young star Jalen Johnson in Atlanta.
So What?
This shift reflects a strategic repositioning that highlights generational change and resource allocation in sports, underscoring progressive narratives around investing in emerging talent and equitable team-building in professional leagues.
Now What?
Watch for trade developments involving Porzingis before the NBA deadline and analysis of how this move affects the Hawks’ competitiveness in the Eastern Conference, with further context available at Sporting News.