The NBA trade deadline is finally behind us.
The Hawks have notched one victory since the deadline passed, beating the Utah Jazz last night in a thriller, but only one of their recent acquisitions played. Jock Landale had an incredible debut for Atlanta, finishing with 26 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks.
The Hawks will still have to figure out how they want to use Jonthan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, and Gabe Vincent in the coming weeks. How Quin Snyder used them and how effective they are could determine how competitive this team is down the stretch of this season and into the playoffs.
Here is what I think the rotation will look like the rest of the season for the Hawks.
PG
Starter: Dyson Daniels
Backups: Gabe Vincent, Keaton Wallace
Daniels is the point guard for the Hawks and has done well in the role. He is not an elite shot creator or passer, but he is skilled in that area on top of being an elite perimeter defender and very good rebounder.
I am curious as to how Gabe Vincent fits in the picture. He has been injured often and his shooting is down this season, but at his best he is a good perimeter defender who can also knock down threes at a solid clip. There are four guys who are guaranteed a role coming off the bench (CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert, Jonthan Kuminga, and Jock Landale) and Vincent might not have a lot of minutes from night to night.
Wallace has not been playing much this season and barring injuries, should not see the floor this season.
SG
Starter: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Backups: CJ McCollum, Buddy Hield
Alexander-Walker was not envisioned as a starter when he signed with the Hawks back in July, but he has excelled in the role and is having a career best season. He is going to continue being a key starter for the Hawks down the stretch.
McCollum had a shaky start with the Hawks, but he has been really key for them since then (aside from a poor performance against Utah last night).
How Hield fits in will be interesting. Again, McCollum, Kispert, Landale, and Kuminga are going to be the main rotation players for the Hawks, but in the wake of Luke Kennard and Vit Krejci being moved, the Hawks could still use a good shooter. Hield is having one of the worst seasons of his career, but he will have a chance to get a fresh start with the Hawks and if he makes shots, he will play. If not, he does not really have a place on the court with this team.
SF
Starter: Zaccharie Risacher
Backups: Corey Kispert
There is a chance that Kuminga gets some reps at the three alongside Jalen Johnson (weird fit), but I think Risacher and Kispert will get the majority of the minutes here.
Risacher has had a mildly disappointing season, including last night’s game against the Jazz, but he does a lot of little things well and with Kennard and Krejci gone, Atlanta needs Risacher to be able to hit his threes and be a viable shooter.
Kispert has been a very underrated addition for the Hawks. He is known as a three point shooter of course, but he has shown the ability to get to the rim with Atlanta and defended better than anticipated. he could be very key for Atlanta.
PF
Starter: Jalen Johnson
Backups: Jonathan Kuminga, Mouhamed Gueye, Asa Newell
This is going to be the most interesting position to follow after the deadline.
Johnson is of course an All-Star and having a tremendous season. He is the Hawks best player and the guy that they are building around going forward.
How on Earth does Kuminga fit in with this team? That might be the most fascinating question for the Hawks the rest of the season. His game does not necessarily mesh with Johnson and likes to have the ball in his hands. He is very good at getting to the free throw line (something Atlanta is not good at) and is very athletic.
Gueye and Newell may very well have their roles reduced to almost nothing. Newell has flashed as a rookie, but he might be more valuable getting reps in the G-League with the acquisition of Kuminga. In certain lineups and matchups where he is needed defensively, Gueye could still have a role on this team.
C
Starter: Onyeka Okongwu
Backups: Jock Landale, Christian Koloko, Asa Newell, Mouhamed Gueye
Okongwu is having a very good season and should be able to pick up where he left off before he got injured in a win against the Celtics. He is vital to the Hawks success and what happens with them down the stretch of the season.
While he won’t score 26 points in every game moving forward, Landale was exactly what the Hawks needed. He rebounded well and was good at protecting the rim and he will be playing plenty going forward.
Koloko was solid when called upon, but as a two-way contract, he is best served to be the third center and used when needed.
Newell and Gueye have been forced to play center, but that is not something the Hawks have liked doing. If either Okongwu or Landale are injured, it is possible that Quin Snyder decides to use them in this role, but don’t expect it much going forward.
The Hawks are healthier now than they have been in some time and it will be interesting to see how the new guys fit in and how Snyder opts to use them in the rotation.
The starting lineup will remain the same and McCollum, Kispert, Kuminga, and Landale are going to be four guys who should be the main backups for this team and see the court every night. Vincent, Hield, Gueye, and Newell are players that might fluctuate in and out of the rotation for the rest of the season depending on matchups and game flow.
