Atlanta Hawks: Dennis Schroder is on Track for a Breakout Season
Now that the NBA off season is in full swing, the Hawks are now looking towards the future.
Paul Millsap is heading out of Atlanta to join the Denver Nuggets. With the face of the franchise gone, Atlanta looks to the franchise’s new star to take over.
Looking to Atlanta’s future means building around point guard Dennis Schroder. Every season Schroder has been in the league, he has improved. The German sensation came into the NBA and averaged only 3.7 PPG, 1.2 RPG, & 1.9 APG in his first season. Last season, Schroder averaged 17.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, & 6.3 APG. Schroder’s massive jump only bodes well for the Hawks future.
With Millsap on his way out, Dwight Howard traded, and shooters acquired, everything is built around Dennis Schroder. One important key to a breakout season for a guard is to be able to shoot well. Since Schroder’s rookie season, he has improved his FG% from 38% up to 45% last season. Also, in his rookie season, his 3PT% was only 24%, last season it was 34%.
Schroder showed last season he can shoot off picks efficiently. Whether it was the pick and roll with Millsap, or shooting off the catch, he has taken massive steps. With Millsap and Dwight gone, Schorder will now have to broaden his skills in the isolation game.
Schroder has great speed, he is creative going to the rim, and finishes well in traffic. Dennis Schroder’s free throw shooting took huge steps from his rookie year. in 2013-14, he shot only 67% from the charity stripe, last season he shot 85% from the charity stripe. Getting to the free throw line is imperative to increasing his points per game.
The Hawks roster as of now, does not have a solid big man. However, the Hawks have added Marco Belinelli and Tyler Dorsey who are both good shooters. The Hawks shot 33.9% from 3 point range as a team last year which was good for 24th in the NBA.
Schroder’s usage rate will be even higher now that the Atlanta Hawks have started their own youth movement. If Schroder makes small improvements, it would not surprise me if he averaged 23 PPG & 8.3 APG.