Kent Bazemore was under much scrutiny this season after not living up to his new contract. Could DeAndre’ Bembry challenge for his role next season?
The Atlanta Hawks have an interesting group of wing players.
Kent Bazemore went from team darling to horrible contract in one season and lost his starting job to rookie Taurean Prince. Prince was the first of the Hawks’ two first-round picks from the 2016 NBA Draft.
The second? Former St. Joe’s star DeAndre’ Bembry.
Bembry, the 21st selection in last summer’s draft, did not get many chances to play during his rookie season. He played in just 38 games and averaged 9.8 minutes in those games. But his skill set is there, as he showed in his last season of college. Bembry averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, earning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors.
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His game is very smooth and Bembry has the size of a solid combo-wing at 6-foot-6, 210 lbs. He has a solid handle and is very smart. Bembry can, potentially, be a ball-handler off of the bench and will not take many risks that could result in turnovers. But he is a capable driver and could contribute a couple of buckets off of the bench.
Bembry’s smarts and ability to be used is different ways can make for a very good option off of the bench. Not to mention the fact that he is playing on a cheap rookie contract.
Bazemore is not a player who comes cheap. He has three years remaining on his four-year/$70 million deal. And he has had his share of issues. Whether it be turnovers, lapses on defense, or an unrealiable jump shot, Bazemore just looked like a tense player this season. He made no progress from his promising year in 2015-2016 and with his salary, would be an ideal candidate to be dealt in a salary-dump trade.
But does Bembry inspire enough confidence to do that?
It is probably worth taking a chance. With some more seasoning that an offseason can provide, Bembry’s game could resemble that of another excellent bench player. This year’s Andre Iguodala, not the prime version of Iggy, could be attainable for Bembry. He is not overly athletic but he makes good decisions, can contribute on both ends of the floor, and will not be a guy who racks up the turnovers.
Will Bazemore still be a Hawk next season? Probably, as it is hard to see another team eating his contract. And if he stays on the team, the Hawks will likely play him to try and get something out of his salary.
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But Bembry is lurking in the wings and could be a more than viable replacement if he works hard this summer.