Isaiah Taylor is taking this opportunity to show he belongs in the NBA
After going undrafted in 2016 and a previous grand total of 4 games in the NBA, Isaiah Taylor now has an opportunity with the Hawks to truly announce himself to the association.
“What happened to Quinn Cook? Why did we let him join the best team in the NBA? Who is this #22 guy?”
The Hawks let Cook walk and with good reason. He was exceptional in the Las Vegas Summer League, but in preseason he was only a shell of his energetic self and allowing him to look elsewhere was the right move. Travis Schlenk, ever one to tinker, took a chance and it’s starting to pay off.
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As far as who that #22 guy is coming off the bench for Dennis Schroder; his name is Isaiah Taylor, and he’s here to play. The former Houston Rocket is eager to grab this opportunity in Atlanta to showcase his skillset as he looks for a future in the NBA.
It’s always interesting to analyze the players on rosters of teams that “tank”. Just because the team is not doing well, 7 losses in a row now, doesn’t necessarily translate to the inability of the players on the team to compete and be forces in this league.
Situation is everything. And for Taylor, the situation could be his ticket to the show.
https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/925872445369675776
Wednesday’s game against the 76ers saw him embrace the backup point guard role, while Malcolm Delaney was pushed to a more natural position in the two-guard. In 18 minutes, Taylor put up 8 points on 4-9 shooting.
His game is very similar to Schroder’s in that he uses his speed to beat defenders off the dribble. The big differences are that he needs to further refine his trade a bit and he is more than capable of lighting it up from beyond the arc should be get in the groove.
Only 23 years old and having a chance to get serious playing time in the NBA after going undrafted is invaluable. Most attention might be on Marco Belinelli and John Collins from that Hawks bench unit, but Taylor is quickly proving that he is no pushover and he will fight for attention.
His current 2-year, $2.9 million contract is an attempt by the Hawks to stay flexible as ever and have options heading into free agency next summer. That being said, Taylor may prove his worth yet and make the contract look like an absolute steal with his efficient play off the bench while Schroder sits.
Next: Energetic Atlanta Hawks fall to 76ers in 7th straight loss
Tonight, Taylor and the Hawks will face off against the Houston Rockets in Phillips Arena and Isaiah will be eager to let his former employers know exactly what they’re missing out on. The game starts at 7:30pm EST and will also be televised on FSSE-ATL.