We're still roughly three months out from opening night of the 2026-2027 NBA season, and there's still a vast number of questions for Hawks GM Onsi Saleh to answer beforehand.
First and foremost, Saleh has to select two players to not be joining the squad come October. From an outside perspective, it would seem Devin Carter - recently acquired primarily to gain a second-round pick from the Sacramento Kings in a cap dump move by SAC - is a top candidate for this undesirable tag.
Carter has a few tricks up his sleeve, though - for forward-thinking GM Onsi Saleh, I wouldn't be too surprised if the Hawks elect to keep Devin around a while longer. Carter generated team-leading metrics last year in a widely-coveted area: winning the ball.
The latest trend in the NBA: generating extra possessions
Every year, it seems as though the NBA is evolving. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration - at least every decade, though, there's a new trend going around. While the 2010s offered the three-point revolution, headlined by Steph Curry, the 2020s are heading another direction entirely.
This decade, teams are still prioritizing high-volume, high-efficiency long-range shooting, sure - but they're also coming to a simple realization: the more possessions you generate, the more points you'll end up with after four quarters!
It's a painfully simple renaissance, and it isn't exactly being led by a basketball savant or unicorn like Steph Curry pioneered behind the arc last decade. Instead, it's led by two chief categories of players: the elite defenders that generate steals (e.g., Dyson Daniels or the Thompson twins), as well as the bigs you just can't keep off the glass (e.g., Neemias Queta, Andre Drummond, or Moussa Diabate).
All of the aforementioned players led their teams in generating extra possessions last year - Diabate leading the entire league with a whopping +3.7 number. As luck would have it, the Hawks just added another leader of their squad last season - you guessed it, Devin Carter (+1.6)!
Devin Carter's recipe for success: high motor and quick hands
Devin Carter was an incredibly promising prospect out of Providence just two seasons ago. While he isn't the tallest player around (standing 6'2 barefoot), Carter makes up for it with his hustle, motor, and defensive instincts.
Carter averaged nearly three stocks (steals + blocks) per game the last two seasons of his collegiate career, and crashed the offensive glass at a ridiculously high rate for his size and position.
The result? An unstoppable possession merchant that provided continuous value to his team - this much has already translated to the NBA.
Unfortunately, Carter could have all the hustle in the world, and it wouldn't lead to winning basketball if one vital metric doesn't pivot quickly. Just like his teammate Dyson Daniels, Carter has a problematic jumpshot; the precise reason Sacramento parted ways with the youngster.
In college, Carter had a spectacular junior season with Providence, generating 20-9-4 box numbers and shooting nearly 38% from range on 6.8 looks per game. Since then, the well has run dry - Devin shot just below 30% in his rookie year, and an ugly 26.3% last campaign. Remind you of anyone?
Unlike his teammate Dyson Daniels, Carter isn't 6'7 - he's nearly a half foot shorter. It would be spectacular if Daniels could correct his long-range shot, but it isn't vital to keeping him in the league.
Carter's lack of size doesn't grant him the same grace - if he wants to remain in the NBA - much less, remain a Hawk - that once-elite shot from his college days has to return, and quickly.
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