The Atlanta Hawks set out to improve upon their defense in the draft and free agency this offseason; here are the 5 best defenders on the roster.
One of the major areas of concern for the Atlanta Hawks last season was their lack of defense. With franchise point guard Trae Young being one of the worst defenders in the league, it’s no surprise that management set out to grab some big-time defenders in the draft and in free agency.
It still remains to be seen if the Hawks will be able to provide consistent scoring but they will surely face some of the top-scoring teams in the league early this season and will need to be able to compete defensively. We’ve yet to see some of the new guys in action this preseason but they ought to be ready to go come opening night on Monday, December 28th versus the Detroit Pistons.
The Hawks split their preseason homestand with the Orlando Magic this past weekend. In a post-game interview, forward De’Andre Hunter let it be known that his goal for the year is to become the Hawks’ best defender.
De'Andre Hunter on his goal this season: "To be the best defender on the team. That was one of the goals I talked about with coach. He said I was the best defender on the team and he wanted me to play like it."
— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) December 14, 2020
That got us thinking. Who are the best defenders on the Atlanta Hawks roster?
With two more regular-season games still left to play against the young, exciting Memphis Grizzlies, it’s never too early to look at what the Hawks have to work with this year. Here are the top 5 defenders on the Atlanta Hawks roster this season.
Atlanta Hawks – Solomon Hill – Forward/Center
The Atlanta Hawks went out and picked up former Miami Heat big man Solomon Hill toward the end of their free agency active period and fans should be happy about the new addition. A lot of people might’ve gotten a look at Solomon Hill in the “bubble” as he fortified the Miami Heat’s post presence.
The Hawks brought Hill in on a one-year, $2 million deal and he could prove to be much more valuable than that price tag suggests. The Hawks haven’t had what fans would consider a “bruiser” in years and Hill could certainly fill that void this year. While he won’t give you eye-popping numbers in limited minutes, Solomon Hill brings an intelligence and awareness to the Atlanta Hawks defense that they haven’t had in some time.
Atlanta Hawks – Cam Reddish – Guard/Forward
One of the bright spots in the Atlanta Hawks’ future will surely be former Duke superstar Cam Reddish, who will look to have a breakout year this season. Reddish had an up and down season offensively last year, which is to expected of a rookie, but definitely showed that he’s a more than capable defender.
While fighting with De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic for playing time this season, Reddish knows that his defense will do a lot to keep him on the floor for head coach Lloyd Pierce.
I asked Cam Reddish about being more aggressive on defense.
— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) December 12, 2020
"I think I have the potential to be an All-NBA defender, so I'm doing my best to be who I think I am."
We’ll look to see Cam make a big leap this year and Atlanta Hawks fans should be very excited about how 6-8 Cam Reddish looks so far this preseason. He’ll be tasked with providing offense of course, but also for covering for Trae Young on the defensive end when they share the floor together.
Atlanta Hawks – John Collins – Power Forward/Center
John Collins was a name that many Atlanta Hawks fans weren’t sure they’d see on the roster this season amid all of the NBA draft and free agency moves the Hawks made in the offseason. But as it stands, John Collins is still a Hawk and is undoubtedly a top 3 defender on this roster.
Collins coming off of a stellar 20 and 10 season is one of the best young big man in the league and has done a lot to improve his game in the three years he’s been in the NBA. Heading into his fourth year, Collins still has work to do in convincing the media that he’s a top player in the NBA but Atlanta Hawks fans have seen the value that JC brings to the squad every night.
In addition to his 21.6 points per game last year, Collins managed to snag 10.1 rebounds and average 1.6 blocks per game. Listed at 6-9, John Collins moves better than most guys his size and can get up and down the floor with ease.
Another defender still to be named on this list will do a lot to secure the Atlanta Hawks defense in the paint this season.
Atlanta Hawks – Kris Dunn – Point Guard/Shooting Guard
While we’ve yet to see Kris Dunn take the floor for the Atlanta Hawks this preseason, it can’t be understated how important he’ll be in suring up the Hawks backcourt defensive issues.
As discussed in the Solomon Hill section of this article, the Atlanta Hawks have gone without “dogs” on their roster for far too long.
Enter Kris Dunn.
Heading into his 5th year in the league, Dunn made Chicago Bulls fans adore him for his stifling defense and dog mentality that he’s said he wants to bring to Atlanta. Averaging 2 steals per game, Kris Dunn will be a favorite of head coach Lloyd Pierce this season because of what he can do defensively.
"There's not a guy in this league I'm afraid to put him on," Lloyd Pierce says of Kris Dunn.
— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) December 5, 2020
Again, with Trae Young lacking in that area, any other guards that touch the floor for the Hawks will have to be able to defend and defend extremely well, which Dunn certainly can.
Atlanta Hawks – Clint Capela – Center
The Atlanta Hawks picked up Clint Capela last season but didn’t get to see him in action for the first time until a few nights ago against the Orlando Magic. Undoubtedly one of the best young big men in the league, Capela is coming off a season in which he averaged 13.9 points per game for the Houston Rockets and 13.8 rebounds. Talk about productivity in the paint.
If those stats aren’t enough for you Capela also averaged almost 2 blocks and a steal every game, which is surely what attracted the Atlanta Hawks front office to him last season. In his two preseason matchup showings this year, Capela has snagged 14 and 12 rebounds, setting the tone for how he plans to be a monster on the boards this season.