Atlanta Hawks: Analyzing The P.J. Tucker Rumors

Could the Atlanta Hawks be close to adding some depth to their wing rotation?

It’s not much, but there’s finally a tangible rumor about a player that the Atlanta Hawks might have their eye on as the trade deadline nears. Last week, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Hawks planned to be buyers at the deadline.

Common sense suggests that they will most likely look to add another point guard, or add to their wing depth. The sporadic play of Malcolm Delaney, and the injury to Thabo Sefolosha, have made adding to the roster a necessity.

One player that would add to their depth on the wing is Phoenix Suns forward P.J. Tucker. According to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, the Hawks are one of several teams interested in the veteran wing.

Scotto doesn’t mention anything specific about Atlanta’s interest, but it makes sense that he would be on their radar. Tucker would be a good fit on the roster at small forward as an occasional starter, or more likely as a backup.

Tucker is a hard-nosed player with a defense-first mindset. Adam McGee of Hoops Habit recently wrote on Tucker’s defensive contributions in Phoenix.

"The North Carolina native possesses a blue-collar work ethic, which is demonstrated in his strong rebounding and gritty defensive effort.The Suns are currently ranked 27th in the league in terms of defensive rating, but Tucker is still finding ways to influence the game on that end. He’s one of only five Suns currently posting a positive defensive box plus-minus, with Tucker’s mark of 1.6 standing out as the best on the team.Even in more traditional counting stats, Tucker averages 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. That translates to 7.5 rebounds per 36 minutes, leading all Suns’ wings and guards, and 1.9 steals per 36, which is the highest of all Suns who are averaging 10 minutes per game or more."

He would slot into the rotation seamlessly on the Hawks’ second unit. He could fill the role vacated by Thabo Sefolosha, if he is still slow to recovery from his groin injury. Or serve as additional depth when Sefolosha returns.

Tucker isn’t a standout player on offense. His best season came in 2013-14 when he averaged 9.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game on 38.7 percent shooting from behind the arc over 81 games.

For his career he averages 7.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game on 43.4 percent shooting and 34.7 percent from three-point range. Still, a great defender that can shoot at a league average level from three-point range is a valuable player in the modern NBA.

This is not the type of move that is going to shake up the Eastern Conference playoff race. I’m not sure that it moves the needle much for Atlanta. Tucker is a nice player, and one that would be a great addition to the roster, but he’s not raising their ceiling in terms of playoff success.

Is there a trade to be made that would have a huge positive impact on their short-term ceiling? That’s still up for debate. A player like Wilson Chandler, or better yet Carmelo Anthony, might do that, but there’s no indication that Atlanta is willing to part with the assets that would be required to make either of those deals happen.

Walking the delicate balance that is trying to be better in the present, without comprising long term goals, is tricky. Standing by the water with one foot in is rarely the place to be. It’s better to dive right in or stay firmly on the shore.

Next: No Boogie In Atlanta

The trade deadline will be here and gone in about 24 hours. One way or another our unanswered questions about Atlanta’s plans will be answered soon.