Roundtable Discussion- The Signing Of Malcolm Delaney
We bring our offseason signing roundtables to a close with the Hawks’ signing of Malcolm Delaney, who will make his transition to the NBA from overseas.
The Atlanta Hawks needed to bolster their point guard depth this summer. When they signed Malcolm Delaney, many fans didn’t know what to make of him. He starred in the Euroleague and has been a top player overseas for the past couple of seasons.
Getting a player such as Delaney on a 2-year $5 million contract is an absolute steal in this market. It works well for both parties. The Hawks don’t have to spend much, but it gives Delaney enough time to prove himself in this league.
Here’s what some of the crew at SDS had to say about the signing:
Colby Giacubeno: Being from Baltimore, I’ve known and watched Malcolm Delaney since his high school playing days at Towson Catholic. Many haven’t heard of him prior to him signing with the Hawks, but he has had plenty of chances to come to the NBA. He was waiting on the right situation and the right time. Delaney was one of the top players in the Euroleague last season and given his experience of already playing in the States, I don’t see the transition taking as long as some. He’ll has the benefit of learning behind an 11-year veteran in Jarrett Jack to become even more effective, but when Budenholzer gives him his shot, he’s going to take complete advantage. Great signing by the Hawks here.
Collin Huguley: This signing was a very Hawks-y move. A 2-year/$5 million deal for an overseas star. Talk about a page out of the Spurs playbook. Delaney is not a pure point guard, as his handles are not elite and he is a score-first guy. But that makes him a nice fit on a bench. He reminds me a lot of former Spur and current Raptor, Cory Joseph. In that he’s not gonna be a primary ball handler off of the bench as a point guard, but can come in and just score points. He will take a little time to adjust to the speed of the NBA game, but I think he can be a nice bench piece for the team as early as mid-season.
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Tom Atkinson: I will admit that I did not know much about Malcolm Delaney prior to him being signed. A quick look at his stats and highlights from last year with Euro-League side Lokomotiv-Kuban Krasnodar, though, told me a lot. Delaney was a great scorer for Lokomotiv last year and was even their MVP for the month of October. He shows a nice touch from the arc and a penchant for the flashy pass, with the ability to dominate a game with his scoring from jumpers and from the line. He is a point-guard but can also play shooting-guard, so it will be interesting to see where he fits into the rotation. The NBA is a step up for sure, but the guard, who went undrafted in 2011, seems ready to try his hand at playing in his home nation. I don’t know how much he will play, with so many other players in his position, but I am looking forward to seeing how he does. At the very least, this move gives the Hawks a nice amount of depth in case of injury.
Rakshan Robertson: Malcom Delaney is also a steal. Jarrett Jack (32) is a great player, but he will not be in the league for that much longer. Delaney is a project as of now, but he definitely can develop into a solid player in the league. He needs improvements, but he is young and has plenty of time to come up. Only time will tell what Delaney’s future looks like.
Nile Goodwyn: Malcolm Delaney is one of the few unknowns for the Hawks next season. Coming off a great career overseas, the former VA Tech star will be bringing his offensive ability to the Hawks. He will be battling with Jarrett Jack for minutes at backup point guard, but win or lose, he will still play impactful minutes for the Hawks next year.