Atlanta Hawks: Goals for Daniel Hamilton in 2018-19

As we move ever closer to the preseason, let’s take a look at the goals for each player on the Atlanta Hawks as we head into the 2018-19 regular season.

The Atlanta Hawks completed their roster with the signing of Daniel Hamilton, who played on a Two-Way Contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder last season – only playing a total of 28 minutes with the big club.

Hamilton comes into the Atlanta Hawks organization after two years at UConn and his experience in the G-League and NBA last year.

An oversized shooting guard at 6-foot-7, 195 pounds, Hamilton looked very good during his time in the G-League last season, flashing a varied skill set and all-around game that should translate nicely to the NBA. Let’s take a look at Hamilton’s goals for next season.

First, Hamilton must establish a role with this young Atlanta Hawks team. Hamilton is on the older side of the team’s timeline at 23 – making him roughly the same age range as Taurean Prince. Though Hamilton will surely play a lot in the G-League, he should be given more of an opportunity with the big league, as his deal is solely an NBA one as opposed to a Two-Way.

Hamilton has shown an affinity for rebounding and playmaking in his limited NBA career, so he must build upon that as a member of the Hawks next year.

Next, Hamilton must prove that he can shoot from long range with the Atlanta Hawks. Like any wing-sized player, a bankable three-point shot is the single-most important attribute a player can have in today’s NBA. Hamilton was a career 33.7 percent shooter in college – which is just not going to cut it at the NBA’s highest level.

Lastly, Hamilton should aim to make the most of his playing time with the Hawks. While Kent Bazemore, Tyler Dorsey and Kevin Huerter are all ahead of Hamilton on the depth chart, who knows how long Baze will even be on the team next year.

If more playing time opens up, Hamilton must be ready and willing to assert himself during the 2018-19 season.