Atlanta Hawks: 4 takeaways from the Summer League opener
Atlanta Hawks Summer League takeaway No. 4: It was a disappointing debut for Jordan Bell
Normally, non-roster guys wouldn’t get this much attention. Especially if they didn’t have standout performances like those in the last slide. But Jordan Bell’s performance in the Summer League opener was nothing short of disappointing. And be clear, it can only be disappointing because there were expectations.
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Those expectations were set by Bell himself and revealed pregame. He was asked why he would be participating in Summer League as a 26-year-old who won a ring with the Warriors back in 2017-18.
His response was so he could show teams his love for the game was still there and that he can still help a team.
What we saw was a player still relying far too much on his natural athleticism and not any discernable developed skill.
Put simply, Bell looked not only like the player he was with Golden State as a rookie, but he still looks just as he did in college at Oregon.
The worst part is he might have had the best chance of any non-roster player to get the offer.
Despite signing Gorgui Dieng in free agency, the Hawks still have only two centers — him and Clint Capela — on the roster and one more spot. Bell would have been a nice third option off of the bench.
The good news is, he’ll get another chance to show his worth on Tuesday. The bad news is Johnson showed he might be able to absorb some minor minutes as a small-ball five.
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Capela averaged 30 minutes per game en route leading the league in rebounding last season and Dieng will handle 14 to 18 minutes per game. So it’s not like the Hawks need a lot. It would have been a good spot for Bell but the likelihood of that took a hit if it ever had a chance in the first place.