Now that the Atlanta Hawks season is over, our attention must turn to the potential free agents on the team. The core, with the exception of John Collins, is set for next season, barring any trades that may be made this offseason.
Tony Snell, who the team traded for in the last offseason, had a very up and down season. He was injured just prior to the season started and missed the first nine games. He also missed another ten games in the middle of the season due to an ankle injury.
During the rest of the season, Snell should have led the NBA in 3-point percentage except he did not make enough attempts. Still, he was a veteran who was able to step in during one of the many injury crises the Hawks suffered all season.
The Atlanta Hawks need a veteran to provide consistent play
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If the Hawks could be guaranteed to get the version of Tony Snell that played in February then this article would suggest that Snell would be a required member of the Hawks next season. The problem is that Snell does not give you enough to keep him on the court.
Snell only played junk minutes in the playoffs even though the Hawks were without De’Andre Hunter after the New York Knicks series. He went for surgery on the second meniscus tear in his knee for the season. That loss proved too much for the Hawks to overcome.
Coach Nate McMillan chose to start Solomon Hill in the Philadelphia 76ers series before his lack of offense forced McMillan to start Kevin Huerter. The third-year man then produced efforts that helped the Hawks progress, all while Snell sat on the bench during the big moments.
The fact that coach McMillan did not believe that Snell could help the Hawks during that time is fairly damning. Snell will get offered some decent money elsewhere and the Hawks need to make sure they have enough room for Collins this season They also have the contract extensions for both Huerter and Trae Young for the following seasons to consider as well.
This young team is growing together and it is extremely likely that even if Snell was to be re-signed that he would not get any court time. He is simply the wrong fit for the timeline, given how many veterans the Hawks currently have on their roster.
Verdict: Pass