Dominick Barlow is the epitome of hustle, effort, and grind.
In an NBA era so devoid of physicality, Dom is a breath of fresh air, and the fact that Atlanta elected not to bring him back is an ugly smear on an otherwise spotless resume for Onsi Saleh as a GM.
At least all 29 other NBA teams are likely having the same regrets as the Hawks - after all, Barlow went undrafted in 2022. Each team had an opportunity to sign the young stud, but didn't pull the trigger.
During his time in Atlanta, Barlow never got extensive burn. In fact, aside from Atlanta's very last regular season game last year, he never cracked more than 21 minutes of play in a single game. From a pure opportunity standpoint, it should be no surprise that the Hawks let him walk.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, it seems that Barlow was just waiting for the right moment to shine - and that's precisely what Philadelphia has provided the youngster this year.
Barlow's career night is just the cherry on top of a beautiful year he's putting together
On Saturday night, Barlow had the best game of his already stellar year. Putting up a very efficient 21 points on 9/13 from the field, he also added 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in 30 minutes of play.
The best part of the night for Barlow wasn't captured in the box score, however - it's who he put these numbers up against.
Anthony Davis was the primary defender on Barlow all night long. Despite his age and limited mobility compared to 5+ years ago, AD is still adored by GMs and feared by opposing forwards with nearly no exception.
Despite Davis' outstretched arms, Barlow not only recorded an efficient 21 points, but also held AD to 24 points on 11/20 shot attempts - not an easy feat for an undersized 5. Ultimately, this was essential in securing a tough single-digit victory against a scrappy Mavericks team for the Sixers.
On the year, Barlow is averaging a solid 9-6-2-1-1 on 54% from the floor. While these aren't gaudy numbers, he's been defending the opposition's number one option on a nightly basis, all while filling Philly's void of talent at the forward spot. Without Barlow, the Sixers likely aren't in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
While Onsi Saleh has made too many positive moves to count, failing to secure Barlow long-term on a team-friendly deal is looking like a critical failure. On a team missing Kristaps Porzingis due to various injuries, the Hawks sure could use someone like Barlow right about now.