The Atlanta Hawks Summer League squad is an interesting group of stories. You have Justin Tillman who has been on the cusp of an NBA callup for a season now, Sharife Cooper trying to get a contract in his second season, and Tyrese Martin trying to impress to earn a contract as a rookie. On top of all that you also have Chaundee Brown playing for his NBA life.
In the first couple of games, this was not an effective mix. Sharife Cooper has been struggling with injuries and the Hawks are missing two of their better players that should be on the roster. AJ Griffin is yet to make his Summer League debut and second-year forward Jalen Johnson is sitting out due to a non-surgical procedure on his knee.
This is giving some of the other players a really good opportunity to show what they are capable of to the Hawks front office. Tyrese Martin showed some of what he could do, Justin Tillman has been huge but Chaundee Brown has shown how hard he is willing to play for his NBA future. He needs to as he signed a two-way deal last season and needs to show why the Hawks should keep him on it.
Chaundee Brown has been huge for the Atlanta Hawks Summer League team.
In the three games played so far, Brown has averaged a very respectable 15.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.7 steals per game. While these are not eye-popping numbers, he has been scoring when the team around him has not been. The team is on average minus 15 when he has been on the floor but this has not been Brown’s fault.
He has been shooting with great efficiency, going at 44.7 percent from the floor, and 37.5 percent from behind the 3-point line. He is yet to miss a free throw. Brown is not meant to be the main player on any NBA or G League squad, he is being asked to do that role and giving it his all.
As mentioned earlier, the Hawks signed Brown to a two-way deal towards the end of last season and he is working hard to show the franchise that they made the right call. When he was called up to the Hawks squad during the Covid-19 crisis at the end of last year/start of this year, he performed really for the Hawks after being thrust into the starting lineup. Brown is showing that he has the right attitude to help the Hawks