Soaring Down South
Fansided

Atlanta Hawks urged to sign former $47 million wing defender

ByJoshua Buckhalter|
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 19: The Atlanta Hawks observe the playing of the national anthem prior to the game against the Miami Heat in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round at FTX Arena on April 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 19: The Atlanta Hawks observe the playing of the national anthem prior to the game against the Miami Heat in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round at FTX Arena on April 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

If the Atlanta Hawks want to prove that they are closer to their 2021 selves than the iteration we saw this year, they have to get better on the defensive end of the floor. For one thing, there isn’t much room for the offense to go after they finished second in offensive rating. But their defensive rating ranked 26th after being 18th last season.

Their offense ranked ninth for whatever that is worth.

Much of their improvement is going to have to come internally – they are projected to have nearly $147 million committed to just 10 players next season, per Spotrac.com. The luxury tax begins at $149 million just to give an idea of how narrow of a margin they currently have.

That led Bleacher Report’s Paul Kasabian to suggest a former high-priced two-way wing in Los Angeles Clippers forward Robert Covington.

Robert Covington would help the Atlanta Hawks leaky perimeter defense

In his piece detailing the next steps for Atlanta, Kasabian first got into their cap situation. The Hawks are just one offseason removed from spending over $133 on Bogdan Bogdanovic and Danilo Gallinari alone on top of another roughly $15 million on Kris Dunn, Solomon Hill, and Rajon Rondo.

The latter three are no longer on the team with Hill being traded along with Cam Reddish to the New York Knicks ahead of the deadline.

This past offseason, the Hawks committed up to $443 million between Trae Young, Clint Capela, John Collins, and Kevin Huerter in extensions and free agency. They could address De’Andre Hunter’s situation this offseason too as he is extension eligible.

The core is locked in place for the foreseeable future, though.

So, Kasabian pared the list of potential fits down to players that could be had for the mid-level exception.

Covington immediately stands out as someone who offers size on the perimeter as well as the ability to play some small-ball center in a pinch. That he also offers a healthy dose of perimeter shooting – 37.8% from deep on the season, 45% after being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers – is just a happy coincidence.

Undrafted out of Tennessee State, Covington’s 110.2 defensive rating is better than every Hawks rotation player save for Onyeka Okongwu and Delon Wright.

His 110.9 offensive rating would be the worst of that same bunch. But, if placed into the Hawks offense, that figures to get at least a slight bump. He did shoot 55.6% on catch-and-shoot opportunities and 48.1% on a limited diet of pull-up threes.

He doesn’t solve the need for a secondary creator. But getting two out of the three biggest needs is a great start.