Atlanta Hawks: Kevin Huerter is improving his contract extension value
The Atlanta Hawks have seen incredible work from both players in the 2018 draft currently on their roster. We all know that Trae Young is going to be offered his rookie max scale contract in the offseason. Every dollar that can be offered to him, will be.
However, it is the other member of that draft class on the Hawks squad who is also turning heads with his play. Kevin Huerter is eligible for his rookie extension as well in this offseason. Huerter, who was one of the Hawks players that have everything to prove this offseason, and he has done just that.
This was Huerter’s first postseason action in the NBA. His glue game is one that is crucial to a team winning in the playoffs, assuming that he has a good number of stars on the team with him. Huerter has so many different skills that he can bring to bear on a game which makes him a crucial piece for the Hawks.
The Atlanta Hawks are going to have to pay a little more for Kevin Huerter
Huerter was one of the main reasons that the Hawks were able to climb out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings to their eventual finishing spot of fifth in the East. His all-around play enabled coach Nate McMillan to use him as a starter or off the bench.
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He produced incredibly well in both roles, leading the team in steals for the season. However, Huerter has been used in a different role so far in the postseason. He has been used as the second player in double teams, especially against Julius Randle in the last series. As a result, he is averaging 1.3 blocks in the playoffs.
Offensively Huerter is getting to his spots on the floor. He is shooting an incredible 71.4 percent from inside the arc. He is also shooting 48.5 percent from deep which is tremendous. This has led the Maryland product to have a 72.2 effective field goal percentage for these playoffs.
Huerter has been a solid floor spacer which has allowed Young to go to work. He has also, when required, taken the ball-handling duties. But, there was one play he made at the end of the first game of the Philadelphia 76ers series which sums him up.
The 76ers had turned Bogdan Bogdanovic and Young over, scoring the ball both times. On the next inbounds play, Huerter received the ball and two defenders tried to get the ball free. Not only did Huerter free himself from the defenders, but he also passed the ball down court to an area where only John Collins could get it.
Next. Nate McMillan has a chance to change his playoff narrative. dark
He then went to the hoop, getting a clear path foul, allowing the Hawks to get the victory. It is these hustle plays that make all the difference in playoffs, and this is in the DNA that makes up the baller that is Kevin Huerter. As a result, he is going to earn a little bit more this offseason.