Atlanta Hawks: 7 Best Guards to Prioritize in Free Agency
By Chris Guest
Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley has previously been explored as being a tremendous pickup for the Atlanta Hawks this offseason. His combination of tenacious point-of-attack defense while also being a terrific catch-and-shoot threat while also being able to run some pick-and-roll in secondary actions should make him a priority this offseason for GM Schlenk.
By all accounts, PatBev had one of his best seasons statistically – all on the lowest usage rate of his career at a measly 12.2 percent per Basketball Reference.
In a career-high 2137 minutes for a playoff-bound Clippers team, PatBev produced the highest true shooting percentage of his career at 56.1 percent. Combine that with a 1.13 points per shot attempt clip that ranked in the 79th percentile and an exceptional 1.32 assist to usage ratio, which ranked in the 87th percentile among guards and you have the perfect fit alongside Trae Young.
Beyond that, Beverley’s defense is his calling card, and his 6th-ranked DRPM among point guards (1.31) stands out among his peers. Beverley’s presence on the Atlanta Hawks would help instill a tenacious, fearsome streak into the Hawks’ young players – hopefully galvanizing them into putting forth more effort on the less glamorous end.
If the Atlanta Hawks signed Beverely, at least the team would have a “Kevin Durant stopper.”