The Atlanta Hawks are just days from opening the 2021-22 season on the road against the Dallas Mavericks. They’re coming off of a 2-2 preseason and looking to prove their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season was no fluke. In between they have made several moves to ensure they are threats in the East, not just next season, but for years to come.
Among those moves was locking in the trio of Clint Capela, John Collins, and Trae Young to deals worth up to a total of $378 million.
One player the Hawks have spoken on but have gained little ground with is fourth-year swingman, Kevin Huerter. As he enters a pivotal season he sees yet another member of his draft class receive a significant bump in pay.
The Atlanta Hawks might have missed out on getting Kevin Huerter at a bargain
On Sunday, the Phoenix Suns agreed to a four-year, $90-million contract with Mikal Bridges that will see the wing average $22.5 million per season. He joins Young, Luka Doncic, Wendell Carter Jr., Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Michael Porter Jr. as 2018 draftees to receive extensions.
Phoenix is still reportedly discussing a new deal with first-overall pick Deandre Ayton ahead of Monday’s deadline for getting extensions done.
Bridges had a career-best year. He averaged 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists with 1.1 steals to boot. In the postseason, where the Suns reached the NBA Finals, he averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 boards, and 1.6 assists.
He shot 54.3 percent from the floor during the regular season and 42.5 percent from deep. In the playoffs, it was 48.4 percent and 36.8 percent, respectively.
Huerter, like many Hawks last season, saw his individual numbers take a hit at the expense of team success. The Hawks boasted one of the league’s deepest rosters and a plethora of injuries saw the former Maryland Terrapin float between starter and bench player all season long.
During the regular season, the 6-foot-7 Huerter averaged 11.9/3.5/1.2 on 43.2 percent shooting (36.3 3P%) in 30.8 minutes per game. His field goal percentage was a career-high. But his three-point percentage was the lowest it’s been since he entered the league.
Still, we got to see throughout the regular and postseason, where he averaged 11.1/3.8/2.8, a very well-rounded player.
Huerter has operated as the primary ball-handler, guarded the opponents’ best player, and been the reason the Hawks won big games in the biggest moments. With the deadline to get an extension done fast approaching, it’s hard to see him returning at a bargain if the season plays out.
He will be a restricted free agent because the Hawks will tender him a qualifying offer if it gets to that point, so they will have the right to match any offers.
However, we have discussed in the past that there will be tough decisions on which players to retain after ownership acknowledged they would be able to keep them all. There had been whispers that Huerter’s side could look to land a deal in the $18 million range.
Is there a $4-plus million difference between the two players though? Enough of one to keep another team from coming in at that price on the semi-open market? A young team like the Thunder could see Huerter’s development and think he’s still young enough to part with some of their draft capital should Atlanta let him leave.
Former 34th-overall pick Devonte Graham just signed a new deal worth $47 million upon being traded to New Orleans.
Barring a last-minute breakthrough, it seems this is a risk the Hawks are going to have to take. Hopefully, it all gets resolved and ends up in Huerter wearing a Hawks jersey for a long time.