Incomplete: Under 250 Minutes
Miles Plumlee – Plumlee has looked stiff in his 158 minutes of play, which is understandable if you’re the 4th or 5th big man in the pecking order. His finishing has not been great, though he can finish wide-open dunks with authority; in any other situation, though, he struggles.
Once Dedmon and Muscala return, Plumlee’s minutes should plummet to zero, especially since Tyler Cavanaugh has looked like a much more viable option inside than Plumlee.
Josh Magette – Magette is another feel-good two-way contract story. After lighting it up in the G-League (and continuing to do so when he’s not with the big club), Magette made his NBA debut in the Hawks’ first game and he immediately showcased his skill set.
Whenever Magette is on the floor, his amazing passing ability is on display. In only 64 minutes, he has amassed 17 assists while only scoring 13 points of his own. His 36% assist rate is huge (second only to Dennis Schröder’s 37.5%), especially given his limited playing time. His 124 offensive rating per 100 possessions is second only to Tyler Cavanaugh on the Hawks – though those miniscule 64 minutes force a few grains of salt into that stat.
Tyler Dorsey – Another part of the Dwight Howard trade, Tyler Dorsey was picked up with the 11th pick of the second round in the 2017 draft, and he has clocked the fewest minutes on the team with 63 – even playing less minutes than Josh Magette in 2 more games.
As the Hawks look to improve via their youth movement going forward, Dorsey should really be playing more as he looks ready and willing to contribute to the team – especially as a shooter.
Dorsey’s shooting stroke looks NBA-ready and his immense 70% three-point attempt rate leads the team by a wide margin (in an extremely limited sample size); why not see how he can do with more extended, consistent playing time?
Mike Muscala – Muscala was averaging 22.4 minutes a game before going down to an ankle injury in the 9th game of the season, and he has not played since that injury occurred.
With Muscala, you pretty much know what to expect: A stretch five who can hit shots from deep, protect the rim decently well and get up for some easy tip-ins. While not overly flashy, any warm body in the paint will help the Hawks tremendously, so let’s hope he’s back in game shape soon enough.