When the Atlanta Hawks signed Frank Kaminsky this offseason they did so at a bargain price. They signed him on a one-year deal worth only $2.6 million. The Hawks have had a few changes to their big man rotation, losing Gorgui Dieng to the San Antonio Spurs via free agency and Danilo Gallinari in the Dejounte Murray trade.
They did recoup some of their losses in the front court when they sent Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings, receiving Maurice Harkless and Justin Holiday in return. These guys are more suited to the wing position rather than being a paint presence that is needed of a power forward.
Jalen Johnson is coming off a season where he started playing well towards the end of it before his luck ran out. With Onyeka Okongwu backing up Clint Capela at the center position, there could be a large number of bench big man minutes available for the taking. The question is, will Kaminsky be able to do this?
The Atlanta Hawks have a role in their minds for Frank Kaminsky.
Kaminsky is a big body who can shoot the 3-ball at a good clip for a 7-footer. Yes, his defense is a challenge to overcome but that is actually not an issue. Last season Gallinari was one of the most important members of the second unit and he also struggled on the defensive end of the court
So what the Hawks have at the moment is a player who appears to be stuck between being a Gallinari type at one end of the spectrum and getting the Dieng playing time. There are a few factors that need to be considered when looking at the role Kaminsky will take next season.
As mentioned earlier, Kaminsky’s defense could be a problem. However, pairing him with Onyeka Okongwu, Justin Holiday and Maurice Harkless on the second unit in the frontcourt could mitigate that. It means that Kaminsky would not be able to take the floor with Trae Young very often.
The second factor is how well Kaminsky is able to shoot the ball. If he struggles to find his rhythm and range for the Hawks then he is not going to get on the court. Kaminsky is too much of a liability on the defensive end for him not to be productive and efficient offensively.
Lastly, it will be interesting to see how Kaminsky comes back from his injury last season. In fact, Kaminsky has not played more than 47 games in any of the last four seasons. If he is able to return to something close to normality, he should get between 15 and 20 minutes a game off the bench, spacing the floor on offense and collecting rebounds on defense for the Atlanta Hawks.