Atlanta Hawks: Michael Carter-Williams, Gary Harris are intriguing post-deadline
A union between the Atlanta Hawks (26-28) and Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris or former Magic guard Michael Carter-Williams could be the perfect situation for all parties. The Hawks are certainly playing a dangerous game standing pat amid a reshuffled East that has, at the least, bolstered the strength of its top teams even if it has set the field of contenders.
Amid all of the fallout from Thursday’s trade deadline, many immediately turned their attention to the buyout market as the next logical means of improvement.
But Orlando might have done Atlanta a favor and could soon do them another solid.
The Atlanta Hawks might not have to look far to fill their final roster spot if they so choose
They waived Michael Carter-Williams who hasn’t played this season after undergoing ankle surgery back in August. The former 11th-overall pick, and founding member of “The Process” up in Philly, Carter-Williams averaged 8.8 points and 4.2 assists with 4.5 rebounds in 2021 for the Magic.
He’s not a floor-spacer by any means shooting just 25.5 percent from three-point range in his career with a 27.3 percent high mark.
What he is though is long at 6-foot-5 with an ability to get to the cup, run the offense, and play multi-positional defense – all things the Hawks should be looking for if perusing the market to fill their final roster spot.
Opposing teams saw their offensive rating raise by 9.0 points when he sat last season. He and Delon Wright would be a tough backup backcourt to score against.
Travis Schlenk noted the Hawks winning nine of their last 12 games when speaking on the trade deadline. But he also said, via Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that he is monitoring who is available that could be useful.
"“We’ll look to see who’s out there, whether we look at young guys to bring in on 10-days, or whether there’s a veteran that becomes available that we feel like would fit in.”"
Harris could be one such name and the expectation is that he will soon join MCW on the wire. Many think a return to the Denver Nuggets makes the most sense. But he could join a Hawks team in need of what he brings defensively on the wing. His 38.8 percent from deep (40.5% on catch-and-shoot threes) wouldn’t hurt either.
He’s averaging 11.7 points on 44.4 percent shooting with 2.2 boards and 1.9 assists though he has started 30 games this season and would certainly be a bench option with Atlanta assuming Orlando even buys him out at all.
Carter-Williams is still free but Schlenk did give a heightened sense of this group’s ceiling.
"“We know this group has the ability to be successful, as we saw last year. And we want to give them that opportunity to prove it to the world they can do it again.”"
Next. De’Andre Hunter has taken his offense to the next level. dark
It’s hard to argue against history. And they don’t have to add anyone else. Let’s just hope this gamble by the Hawks front office pays off as they head into a very manageable backstretch of games.