T.J. McConnell, Unrestricted Free Agent
The hero of The Process, T.J. McConnell, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason after four seasons with the 76ers.
While Philly fans love him – specifically the Hinkie acolytes that listen to The Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast – McConnell might not fit the Sixers’ new win-now timeline and obtaining a better all-around player might fit Philadelphia’s needs a bit more than a fan favorite with a lacking physical profile.
Since the Atlanta Hawks are more or less creating The Process 2.0 with its core of young players and a notably noble tanking effort (despite more wins than expected) as well as a former Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach as its head coach in Lloyd Pierce.
Another holdover from the 76ers is Justin Anderson, who has recently become a Hawks fan favorite due to his effort and energy.
In terms of McConnell, he might be limited physically, but he plays extremely hard and seems to always be in the right place at the right time to make big plays. Not only that, but he picks up who he is guarding in the backcourt sometimes and often jumps the inbounder in the backcourt to nab easy buckets off steals.
To be honest, McConnell is extremely lovable, and adding him to this already likable Atlanta Hawks squad would be a complete joy. Perhaps I’m being selfish but, again, it is unlikely that McConnell will fetch much on the open market, so why not give it a try?