A list of some of the more unusual choices the Atlanta Hawks could make in free agency this offseason.
With only 3 games remaining in the regular season and the joy of playoff basketball not making its way to Atlanta this season, Atlanta Hawks fans must turn their attention to the offseason, where General Manager Travis Schlenk will have many decisions to make heading into the 2019-20 season.
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With oodles of cap space available (potentially over $50 million per Spotrac), the Hawks will likely be major players in the free agent market this offseason.
Though the team should first prioritize retaining pending free agents Justin Anderson and Vince Carter for a relatively low fee, the next step should be taking a look at some of the more unorthodox names on the market.
With a strong young core as well as the likelihood of at least one Top 7 pick incoming in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks should be a fairly attractive free agent destination to some of the biggest names in the NBA… as well as some of the lesser-known players currently plying their trade with other teams.
In this article, we will focus on those less-heralded players across the NBA that might join up with an ascendant Atlanta Hawks team during free agency this offseason.
Dragan Bender, Unrestricted Free Agent
Our first unorthodox choice for the Atlanta Hawks in free agency is none other than the Dragon, Dragan Bender of the Phoenix Suns.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, but hold your horses. Despite being labeled as one of the worst draft picks in the past decade (or of all time), Bender still has real NBA size at 7-foot-1 and is still, despite being in the league for 3 years, only 21 years old.
Sure, Bender has a career 7.1 player efficiency rating and has only accrued 0.3 career win shares across 167 games played, but here’s the thing: Why not take a swing on a player who still just might have untapped upside?
The Hawks have already shown that they can tap into a player’s shooting potential, and they’ve already shown the ability to transform a depressed Phoenix Suns big man into a serviceable NBA player (looking at Alex Len on that one).
Bender has long been comfortable shooting the ball from deep, and his second season at age 20 showed that he might be able to serve as a long-range shooter at the four or five. In his second year in the league, Bender shot 36.6 percent from deep on a 66.5 three-point attempt rate – both of which were career-highs.
It will likely not take much more than a minimum contract to obtain Bender, and if he doesn’t work out, simply waive him.
This would simply be a low-cost flyer on a young player that has not panned out so far in his NBA career.
Mario Hezonja, Unrestricted Free Agent
Mario Hezonja, the 5th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, spent the first 3 seasons of his career with the Orlando Magic.
Though he has been a fairly damaging player on the court for much of his career, Hezonja broke out somewhat in his last season in Orlando and put up the highest player efficiency rating, win shares and box plus/minus of his career.
This year, as a member of the New York Knicks, he has produced two of the most shocking highlights of the year across the entire league. First, he posterized and stepped over likely MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo:
Then, he blocked LeBron James on an attempted jumper to seal a rare New York Knicks win this season:
Wow. Just to reiterate, those are two highlights on two of the best players in the game this season, though of course LeBron suffered the most difficult injury of his career, which sapped his athleticism in a way that no injury has before.
Still, though, if Hezonja can provide that same braggadocio and verve that he brought to the Big Apple in Atlanta, I feel like he and Trae Young will get along swimmingly.
Also, Hezonja has never played alongside a passer as good as Trae Young or a rim-runner as good as John Collins or even a pure shooter as good as Kevin Huerter. Perhaps the Hawks’ team construct will allow Hezonja to untap more of his upside than any team has before.
Once again, a minimum contract will likely be all that is required to make this happen.
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?
Wenyen Gabriel, Restricted Free Agent
Rawle Alkins, Restricted Free Agent
Lastly, we’ll finish up this list with two rookies that were signed to Two-Way contracts last year and will be restricted free agents this offseason: Wenyen Gabriel of the Sacramento Kings and Rawle Alkins of the Chicago Bulls.
Both Alkins and Gabriel went undrafted last offseason after interesting, if underwhelming college careers. Gabriel played two seasons at Kentucky and Alkins played seasons at Arizona – the latter of which was injury-plagued despite being alongside undrafted (but talented) rookie Allonzo Trier and #1 overall pick Deandre Ayton.
Alkins has a thick frame and flashed some shooting ability in his college career and Gabriel was more of an athletic, switchable big/wing hybrid.
Both players have played upwards of 40 games for their respective G-League clubs on their two-way contracts, and, for the most part, Gabriel has outplayed Alkins. With good size (6-foot-9, 220 pounds) Gabriel has shown solid offensive and defensive chops.
Alkins, despite some flashes of brilliance, such as this dunk in the Pac-12 tournament last year, has only slashed 44/31/61 in his G-League career. Gabriel, to his credit, is shooting 49/36/74 in 5 less minutes per game than Alkins.
Either way, both players should be on the Atlanta Hawks radar as Two-Way players. Gabriel, in particular, looks as if he has improved this year with the Stockton Kings and could serve as an interesting bench player for years to come.