Atlanta Hawks: 3 goals for Lou Williams in the 2021-22 season

Atlanta Hawks goal for Lou Williams No. 3) Average 7.0 assists per 36 minutes.

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As mentioned earlier, there is a good chance that Williams is going to lose some of his playing time next season. The addition of Delon Wright, Skylar Mays, and Sharife Cooper will certainly have an impact on the Hawks’ rotation.

Still, Williams is going to be effective if he is used in short bursts. He has such a connection with last year’s rookie Onyeka Okongwu in the pick and roll that he can come on and change the course of a game in a few plays, without even shooting the ball once.

Given that he has only been averaging just over 21 minutes per game with the Hawks, it is easy to see him dropping to 15 minutes per game next season. Therefore, judging him based on his per-game averages would be unfair to the veteran.

As such, watching Williams per-36 numbers is going to be crucial to judging how effective he is on the season. If he can hit 7.0 assists per 36 minutes then he is more than doing his job. If he can do that, he will take so much pressure off the rest of the guard unit which will help free up their play, making them even harder to stop.