The way the Atlanta Hawks have protected the rim through 12 games in the new season hasn't been ideal. At times, it's been very rough.
They haven't had much health-related luck, though, as their injury report for much of the year has featured key frontcourt players. Before the season began, Atlanta knew they would be without Mo Gueye and Henri Veesaar for a decent chunk of time, and while the rookie's impact is unknown, they would certainly benefit from having Gueye in the lineup.
If anything, he would provide an immediate rim protection boost. He's a quality defender for his age and size. Honestly, he's one of the team's best on that end. They're going to have to dig deeper for a little while longer, though. He's not coming back any time soon.
Finally, an update on Gueye - one not entirely promising, though
It took nearly an entire month for the first update on Gueye to arrive, but nonetheless, it's here.
In a statement released by the team, they noted that the 24-year-old forward is "progressing to on-court activities," and will be "re-evaluated in approximately four weeks."
Atlanta will be without Gueye for at least another month, and depending on what comes out of the re-evaluation, it could end up being much longer.
Looking at it from a side of optimism, though, this timeline gives the Hawks a perfect chance to correct their biggest weaknesses without him. Then, when he eventually returns, he won't be depended on to completely shift the group's output. That type of pressure can derail a player's development.
Atlanta has most of the necessary tools to develop a strong interior presence.
Their main goal has been to limit the amount of paint touches an opposing team gets by applying extra perimeter pressure, but in the event a driver is able to sneak past the Hawks' gauntlet of guard defenders, their reinforcements down low should be fine.
Hawks have faced some tough frontcourts - they're battle-tested
The only way to improve an undeniable weakness is to get it exposed.
Once something holding them back gets into their heads, it's only a matter of time before they take it to the desired level. At least, that's the case for teams built for success in the modern NBA.
The Hawks are. Despite their flaws, they have such a unique attack that could put them among the league's contenders as long as they don't shy away from development.
Having Gueye back, eventually, will help, too.
Add us as a preferred source on Google