The Atlanta Hawks won the offseason. Through all of their roster changes that made waves in the national media this summer, one specific pickup stood out the most.
The blockbuster move for Boston's Kristaps Porzingis and the sneaky signing of sharpshooter Luke Kennard grabbed people's attention, but the sign-and-trade with Minnesota for Nickeil Alexander-Walker proved that the team was going for it all.
Despite not being a household name, Alexander-Walker was among the top available players entering this year's free agency period. After locking up Julius Randle and Naz Reid on expensive long-term contract extensions, it was clear that the Timberwolves had no intentions of bringing NAW back.
Atlanta stepped in at the right time. The idea of acquiring another defensive ace to put alongside Trae Young and the rest of the crew for the next four years sounded incredible. The team's identity saw a major shift last season, as Atlanta improved their team defense in every imaginable way. This was due in large part to the overall dominance that third-year guard Dyson Daniels showed on that end.
Dyson no longer has to carry the team's intensity defending the perimeter. General Manager Onsi Saleh wanted to take a load of defensive pressure off of Daniels, while allowing him and Alexander-Walker more opportunity to flourish on offense.
Can NAW expect to see his best offensive season in Atlanta?
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has never been a bad offensive player. He was more of a sure thing on that end coming into the NBA than Dyson Daniels was, and Daniels saw a breakout on that end like no other last season. Quin Snyder's unique offensive scheme could show the world a whole different side of Alexander-Walker that has yet to be unlocked.
Last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Nickeil Alexander-Walker averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 38.1% from beyond the arc. He finished sixth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. This kind of output in just 25 minutes a night shows the true impact he had with his former team.
An increase in minutes per game is expected. Quin Snyder will want Alexander-Walker on the floor as much as possible, especially in the latter half of the season. He will be able to focus on improving his efficiency and capitalizing on elite spacing, both of which should contribute to career-highs across the board.
This kind of offseason acquisition is one that can separate contenders from pretenders. Atlanta's new-look roster has a perfect balance of defensive tenacity, elite outside shooting and reliable shot creation. They could see themselves representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be the reason why.