Atlanta Hawks Small Forward Depth Chart Ahead of 2019-20 Season
By Chris Guest
Starting Small Forward: De’Andre Hunter
A new face will adorn the Atlanta Hawks starting small forward spot next season after the ouster of Taurean Prince following three seasons with the team.
Prince is in a great place now on the Nets alongside Kyrie Irving (and later on, Kevin Durant) in a ready-made contender, though let’s hope his well-established defensive struggles can dissipate in a more intense environment.
In his place, the Atlanta Hawks moved up in the 2019 NBA Draft to draft De’Andre Hunter at #4 overall. Though there were rumblings that Hunter could fall a bit on draft night, it seemed unlikely that he would be available beyond pick number six, so the Hawks did well to nab an extremely talented and, most importantly, polished prospect with their first selection.
Though the Hawks are not widely believed to be playoff-ready, the presence of a high-floor prospect like Hunter on the team makes it clear that the team’s timeline may have just sped up a bit.
Hunter is clearly ready to impact winning basketball now, similar to Mikal Bridges in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Hunter is a hulking figure who knows how to move his feet, and his presence should immediately help to shore up the team’s porous defense from last season. Beyond that, Hunter’s low usage and smooth three-point shooting should slide in perfectly in terms of fit alongside Young, Huerter, John Collins and Alex Len in the team’s projected starting lineup.
Who will back up Hunter? Let’s find out.