The Atlanta Hawks should look into adding guard Jevon Carter

One of the issues that have plagued the Atlanta Hawks this season has been point-of-attack defense. Jevon Carter, who was recently released by the Brooklyn Nets would help immensely in that regard. Even with Clint Capela manning the middle, John Collins to help, and De’Andre Hunter on the wing, the Hawks have far too often fallen victim to dribble penetration.

They are allowing opponents to shoot 48.1 percent when coming off of screens; 29th in the NBA this season.

Meanwhile, pick-and-roll ball handlers are finishing 42.6 percent of the time.

That’s towards the middle of the pack at 18th but it has been enough of an issue this season to try and address it in any way possible. We hoped there could be a fit with De’Andre Bembry, also released by the Nets, but he joined the Milwaukee Bucks.

Jevon Carter could help the Atlanta Hawks point-of-attack defense

Carter has appeared in 46 games this season, making one start, managing to put up 3.6 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 12.0 minutes of action per game. He is shooting 33.3 percent from the floor and 33.1 percent from beyond the arc. All of those numbers, save for the field goal percentage, either matched or set a new career-low.

Those aren’t even good numbers let alone “priority free agent” status. So what makes him someone the Hawks have to have?

His defense.

He was waived to make room for the addition of point guard Goran Dragic who recently reached a buyout agreement with the San Antonio Spurs following a trade deadline deal that saw Thaddeus Young head to the Toronto Raptors.

Dragic was also a potential Hawks target but, with the eighth highest-scoring offense that hasn’t been too healthy this season, missing on him isn’t as bad as some non-moves may ultimately prove to be. Carter isn’t the player that Dragic is even at this point in both of their careers. But he is undoubtedly a better fit.

Carter ranks 27th out of the 150 players to defend the pick-and-roll ball handler at least 31.0 percent of the time allowing his matchups to convert at a 39.6 percent clip.

Factor in his 40-plus appearances and he jumps to ninth out of 85 qualifiers.

The former Phoenix Sun, Carter ranks in the 71st percentile in pick-and-roll ball-handler defense. Only De’Andre Hunter (76th percentile) ranks better on the Hawks allowing opponents to shoot 35.0 percent be he has only appeared in 31 games.

Delon Wright ranks 38th out of the 85 while Kevin Huerter checks in at 47th, though, the former is in the 63rd percentile while the latter is in the 32nd.

We know of Trae Young’s deficiencies on that end as his numbers in the pick-and-roll bear out. But we have been clear that this is not a surprise issue and has to be resolved with personnel as much as any development from Young. To his credit, Young has shown better effort on that end but Carter’s instincts on that end are just worlds better.

That’s not a knock on Young, just a testament to the kind of player that Carter is.

The former West Virginia Mountaineer would fit nicely on a bench that is extremely light on perimeter defense and he wouldn’t take away from an offense that has proven capable of overcoming deploying non-shooters if played alongside Young.

This is a potentially low-risk, high-reward move if it results in even a couple of more possessions for the Hawks down the stretch as they make their push for the postseason.

Currently slotted as the 10-seed and final team in the play-in tournament, they need all of the non-disruptive help they can get. Carter, against whom matchups are shooting 36.0 percent in the mid-range (only Onyeka Okongwu has been better among Hawks rotation players), profiles as a player that could come in and mesh well in many situations.