When determining who exactly would become a casualty of the inevitable roster crunch, it was unclear if Atlanta would prioritize veteran leadership or youth.
Now that the roster is finally at 15 players just ahead of media day, it appears they've opted for the former. The thing is, though, in bringing in a veteran this late into the summer, they had to part with another.
It all came down to what they valued more in an experienced player. Judging by the lengths they went to get this latest deal done, it would be wise to assume they prioritized the ability to still contribute meaningful minutes when needed.
Production is the biggest thing separating DFS and Hield in 2026
And to be fair, Finney-Smith is coming off of quite the down year.
In fact, looking at the numbers, it wouldn't be ridiculous to say Hield was actually better than Finney-Smith last season. Context is important, though, and to blatantly ignore Finney-Smith's injury and inconsistent role would be disingenuous.
If there was ever a bounce-back candidate for the 2026-27 season, it's him. He appears to be entering a much more stable situation in Atlanta, and if he stays healthy, he could be a valuable contributor in the back-half of the nightly rotation.
He's a proven defensive beast, and a consistent three-point shooter. The career-long sample size from outside should be taken with more weight than a one-year (likely) fluke. He'll get plenty of open looks in Head Coach Quin Snyder's movement-focused system. Those percentages should rise.
Speaking of outside shooting, even with Finney-Smith's impressive career numbers from out there, Buddy Hield in 2026 is still a better option from deep.
Atlanta, however, believes they have enough shooting on the roster already. Finney-Smith has a real case to be the better player everywhere else, though, and it absolutely went into account while making their final offseason decision.
Rotational fit mattered most, considering both come with invaluable locker-room presences
Hield, now heading to Charlotte, is going to provide his new squad exactly what he gave Atlanta in his half-season with the organization - stability.
Not that he'll play in the nightly rotation, but him just being among the group as they transition between eras will provide a major boost. Everyone loves him.
For Finney-Smith, he'll look to give the same locker room boost to the young Hawks, all while being a realistic ninth or tenth-man option.
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