Atlanta Hawks Free Agency Tier List: Shooting Guards

Ranking upcoming free agent shooting guards the Atlanta Hawks could sign this fall.

While we’re still months away from games, the Atlanta Hawks are about to get a whole lot busier. The 2020 NBA draft date is now locked (November 18th), and free agency should open sometime around then.

Here, we’ll be focusing on the free agency side of things, and busting out the tier list to rank each free-agent-to-be from an Atlanta Hawks standpoint. Yesterday we discussed the point guards, and today we’ll be taking a look at shooting guards.

Kevin Huerter has acted as the team’s starting two-guard for the last two seasons and while he’s had his moments, is probably best suited for a bench role moving forward. Between the draft and free agency, the team has a lot of options to fill his role.

2020 NBA Free Agency Tier List: Shooting Guards

Searching for a big payday:

• DeMar DeRozan (player option)
• Evan Fournier (player)
• Joe Harris

With Brandon Ingram and Anthony Davis looking like near-locks to stay with their current team, DeRozan might just be the best free agent on the market if he opts out. His throwback, midrange-orientated style of play makes for a questionable fit in Atlanta, especially for the likely price tag.

Fournier also has a player option and his potential fit on the Atlanta hawks is much smoother than DeRozan’s. Joe Harris will be pursued heavily by his former team, so the Hawks will really have to open up the checkbook wide if they want the three-point assassin.

High-end role players:

• Tim Hardaway Jr. (Player)
• E’Twaun Moore
• Langston Galloway
• Bryn Forbes
• Wesley Matthews (player)
• Austin Rivers (player)

I’ve written about Rivers’ potential fit in Atlanta already, and still think he’d be a great veteran piece to add if he opts out. Wes Matthews also has a player option and could bring his defensive candor to a Hawks team that desperately needs it.

Young (and thus, pricey) studs:

• Bogdan Bogdanovic (restricted)
• Rodney Hood (player)
• Justin Holiday

Justin Holiday doesn’t fit the young part of this tier but did finally breakout last season at the age of 31. The 3-and-D expert should get a nice chunk of change despite his career mileage.

Proven Vets:

• Kent Bazemore
• Courtney Lee
• Tony Snell
• Andre Roberson
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• Marco Belinelli
• Avery Bradley (player)
• Alec Burks

I don’t think any fan would object to the team bringing back Kent Bazemore, who showed he still has gas left in the tank last season in Sacramento. KCP has been a punching bag of fans in L.A for years but is a solid 3-and-D role player that the Hawks could value at the right price.

End of the bench guys:

• Nicolas Batum (player)
• Kyle Korver
• Pat Connaughton
• Treveon Graham
• Dion Waiters
• J.R. Smith

Korver has shown he still has it, shooting 41.8 percent from three in his age-38 season last year. Batum could also be nice if he opts out of a very lucrative final year in Charlotte (he won’t).

Low-risk fliers:

• Denzel Valentine (restricted)
• Furkan Korkmaz
• Sterling Brown
• Tyler Johnson
• Sindarius Thornwell

Korkmaz is just 23 years old, making him one of the youngest non-restricted free agents in the class. He had a handful of big games for Philly last season and could be a solid three-point weapon if the Hawks miss out on Joe Harris.

Other noteworthy names:

• Mario Hezonja (player)
• JaKarr Sampson
• Damyean Dotson
• Jordan McRae
• Corey Brewer
• Justin Anderson
• Antonius Cleveland

A few former Hawks in here, including Justin Anderson, a favorite of mine who impressed in his short stint with the Nets last season. All these players should be able to be had for the minimum or at least near it.

What shooting guards do you want the Atlanta Hawks to target this fall?