The Atlanta Hawks added 2024 Summer League MVP Josh Christopher to their summer league lineup. Christopher is an athletic shooting guard who showed elite scoring ability in high school and college before being drafted 24th to the Rockets.
Christopher was the 11th-ranked prospect in the high school class of 2020, playing for Arizona State before being drafted 24th to the Rockets. Christopher initially struggled in his one season at Arizona State, then pieced together an impressive stretch before suffering a lower leg injury that cut his season to just 15 games.
Christopher has elite scoring ability, possessing high-level ball handling and awe-inspiring finishing. The 6'5 guard used his 6'9 wingspan with his explosive athletic ability to rack up rebounds and steals in college.
However these strengths have not translated to the NBA yet.
Christopher could step into the backup PG role after summer league
Onsi Saleh and the Hawks have had a slam-dunk offseason, adding three valuable pieces to the roster. The last remaining question mark on Atlanta's stacked roster is the backup point guard position.
Newcomer Luke Kennard split backup point guard duties with Scotty Pippen Jr. last season in Memphis and has upside as a ball-handler and passer. However, Kennard is unproven as a full-time backup point guard, meaning the Hawks should look for insurance in case Kennard is unable to replicate his success with the Grizzlies.
2023 Hawks' first round pick Kobe Bufkin also has the potential to fill this role, but the Michigan product has yet to impress on the NBA level. A defense-first player, Bufkin has not demonstrated an advanced playmaking game, perhaps indicating he is better suited for a shooting guard role.
Cristopher is an excellent summer league pickup to have another shot at a player to fill this role. While he is not a proven commodity by any means, he has shown upside worth taking a gamble on. He averaged 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in the G-League last season for the Heat's affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Christopher's shaky three-point shot has limited his ability in the NBA thus far, allowing defenders to sag off him and neutralize his athletic advantage. However, Christopher shot 36.6% from deep over 23 G-League games in 2023-24. If Christopher can find his 3-point shot, the floor will open up and perhaps allow him to become a high-performing role player for the Hawks.
The Hawks begin summer league tomorrow against Christopher's former employer, the Miami Heat. Expect last year's Summer League MVP to impress in Las Vegas.