The Atlanta Hawks have had themselves quite an off-season. They missed out on some great costless agents, such as Carmelo Anthony and Luol Deng, but they did sign a few good complimentary pieces.
Early in the off-season, Hawks struck a three-year deal with swingman, Thabo Sefolosha. Sefolosha is not a high volume offensive player, but he will provide the Hawks with much needed perimeter defense off the bench. Sefolosha’s points usually come from being a spot up three-point shooter, but he is not too consistent on that end.
The Hawks also added Kent Bazemore to their bench this summer. Bazemore is a high energy player who will provide defensive intensity and plenty of hustle. When given the minutes, Bazemore can be extremely effective. In 28.0 minutes per game for the Los Angeles Lakers, Bazemore averaged 13.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals. He is capable of attacking the rim on the offensive end and drawing fouls on opponents. He will be a terrific addition for Atlanta.
The Hawks then went on to re-sign Mike Scott, Shelvin Mack, and Elton Brand.
Shelvin Mack did a solid job as Jeff Teague’s backup last season. He handled the play making responsibilities and provided some three-point shooting. Mack understands the offense, and coach has a lot of trust in him. He averaged 8.1 points on 16.9 minutes of play during the playoffs. He earned his minutes because of his ability to control the offense and maintain composure for the second unit.
Re-signing Mike Scott was a must. The 2-year pro saw more action last season due to his ability to stretch the floor at the 4 spot. Scott was the biggest mismatch during last season’s first-round playoff matchup against the Indiana Pacers. He is also a feisty defender, despite being an undersized power forward. The Hawks believe that Scott will continue to grow as a player, and needed him back to shore up the frontcourt.
Elton Brand was brought back mainly due to his experience and knowledge. Brand’s role will decrease this season, but he may still see limited minutes. In the time he will have on the floor, Brand will provide physicality on defense and veteran leadership.
With all the additions this summer, the Atlanta Hawks have deepened their bench and have added some quality wing defenders. They should still be a playoff team this season, especially with Al Horford expected to return to the lineup. Slowly but surely, the Hawks have built themselves a strong, competitive roster.
GRADE: B
Depth Chart:
PG: Jeff Teague/Shelvin Mack/Dennis Schroeder
SG: Kyle Korver/Kent Bazemore/John Jenkins
SF: DeMarre Carroll/Thabo Sefolosha
PF: Paul Millsap/Mike Scott/Adreian Payne/Elton Brand
C: Al Horford/Pero Antic/Mike Muscala
Coach: Mike Budenholzer