Thanks to cutting down four players straight after the Abu Dhabi trip, the Atlanta Hawks have a legal roster heading into the season. However, they still have one spot left, and filling it with Derrick Favors is the right move to make after being waived by the Houston Rockets.
While the Hawks have a solid big-man rotation, they could always do with a veteran like Favors who has played alongside the defensive stopping power of Rudy Gobert for most of his career. He is a savvy veteran who has a really good mid-range shot.
The start of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans shows why the Hawks would benefit from another big man. While Onyeka Okongwu deservedly got the start, the Hawks big man stocks who can effectively play the pivot position looked a little thin.
How the Atlanta Hawks could use Derrick Favors if they signed him.
The area where the Hawks are thinnest however is at the power forward slot. Thanks to Danilo Gallinari being traded, the Hawks have very few options to replace John Collins in the starting lineup should he not be right to go.
Jalen Johnson is a solid backup but is certainly not ready to go should Collins be out for any extended period of time. He is developing nicely but there is still plenty of work that head coach Nate McMillan needs to put into the sophomore.
This is where Favors can come in. He is a good backup for both of the positions in the front court but he rounds out the power forward rotation nicely. While he is not a noted shooter from beyond the arc, Favors is a solid shooter from the mid-range which is certainly going to help space the floor.
Favors can also mentor Johnson who is still developing in the league. This could be the biggest benefit that the Hawks may get if they were to sign Favors. They have a small amount of money to play with before they hit the luxury tax and this should be enough for Favors who has been paid out $10.0 million for this season.