Atlanta Hawks: Could a Howard-Millsap-Horford rotation work?

After agreeing to a deal with Dwight Howard yesterday, the Atlanta Hawks are still pursuing Al Horford. Could the frontcourt trio exist successfully?

With Dwight Howard signing a three year, 70 million dollar contract with the Atlanta Hawks, the Hawks have a formidable frontcourt that could be dominant if used to its’ full potential. This acquisition also leaves Al Horford with a tough choice: come back to the Hawks and form a trio of All-Star caliber bigs, or leave Atlanta and play for a new team for the first time in his career. If Horford does stay with the Hawks, there will be questions swirling as to how the frontcourt rotation would be handled. Can Paul Millsap play small forward in long bursts? Who would come off the bench? A deeper look into the potential trio:

Positives

Frontcourt depth

By having a rotation that consisted of Horford, Millsap, and Atlanta native Howard, the Hawks would boast an extremely talented group, one that could rival any group in the entire NBA. Even in the unfortunate scenario that one of the All-Stars got injured, another player with just as much skill could step in and fill the role with no problem. Foul trouble would not be nearly as much of a burden, if an exceptional player could contribute in place of the effected player.

Defensive Versatility

The potential trio consists of three of the best defenders in the NBA. Howard, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, will make any guard think twice before they drive into the paint. Millsap was the league leader in Defensive Win Shares, and averaged over 1.5 steals and blocks per game during the 2015-16 season. Horford was 8th in Defensive Win Shares, and along with Millsap, led the Hawks to a top five Defensive Rating as a team last season. The addition of Howard, who averaged 1.6 blocks a game, will potentially make the Hawks a defensive force for years to come.

Going Big

If the Hawks can lure Horford back, there will be opportunities for a big lineup including Millsap, Howard, and Horford all playing at once. Millsap only played about 53 minutes at small forward last season, but this was mostly in part of Tiago Splitter’s early injury. The Hawks would have likely went with a larger lineup in games where more rebounding was needed, like the second-round sweep by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Millsap is mobile enough to stay with some of the league’s slower wings, and he would physically dominate a large number of the small forwards in today’s game.

Weaknesses

Too Slow?

With the league going smaller and smaller by the day, the tandem could potentially have trouble keeping up with the league’s smaller teams. The thought of Al Horford trying to guard a “stretch-4” for extended minutes would make Coach Bud’s head spin. Watching Millsap run through screens chasing around the likes of Kevin Durant all game seems like an impossible thought. The trio would be best suited with one of the players coming off the bench as a super-sub.

Egos

Throughout his career, Dwight Howard has been known by know-it-all pundits as a “primadonna”. His smiling and “lack of intensity” has led to many quitting on him and considering him a lost cause. While I cannot accurate comment on Howard’s personal actions, it is reasonable to question if he will come off the bench for the better of the team. This goes for the Hawks’ other bigs as well, though they are both known as selfless players who would most likley do anything for the best of the team.

Conclusion

If Horford was to re-sign with the Hawks, he would form a trio of extremely talented bigs that could give any team in the league trouble if used to their full extent.  In some cases, the rotation would have to be tampered with to match up with the always-transforming league, and in others, the team could deploy all three of the talented players at once to dominate the opposition with brute force and defensive intensity. With Horford announcing his free agent decision tonight, the Hawks and their fans will be awaiting Horford’s possible return to the team, and becoming part of one of the most talented three-headed dragons the league has ever seen.