Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the presumed sixth man for the Atlanta Hawks, was unexpectedly named the starting point guard after Trae Young sprained his MCL just five games into the season. Alexander-Walker had never been a consistent starter or on-ball creator before, so fans braced for a tumble down the standings with their star guard out.
But against all odds, the crown jewel of the Hawks’ busy offseason led a 13-8 push without Young. Alexander-Walker split lead playmaking duties in halfcourt possessions with Jalen Johnson and, to a lesser extent, Dyson Daniels. His unique frame and twitchy movement help him effortlessly glide to the rim for easy looks, not unlike his cousin Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Hawks’ ninth-placed record would be a disappointment if the season ended today, but they are less than 2.0 games back from third place in the East. The Hawks are well-positioned to make a run for home court advantage in the playoffs despite not having their lead man.
This is the Nickeil Alexander-Walker effect.
Alexander-Walker deserves a starting spot
The healthy Hawks starting lineup has played a grand total of three games together. Trae Young and Dyson Daniels manned the backcourt, while Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Kristaps Porzingis filled the forward and center slots. This lineup fits together surprisingly well, as Young and Daniels’ one-dimensional games balance each other perfectly. Behind the beautifully chaotic backcourt, Risacher and Johnson provide an alternative dynamic of stability and all-around impact at the more versatile forward positions.
While introducing Alexander-Walker into the wing rotation would disrupt the harmonious Hawks lineup, his talent advantage over Daniels and Risacher can no longer be ignored.
Alexander-Walker can create off the bounce, space the floor, and guard the 1-3 effectively. This is everything you can ask out of a backcourt partner for Trae Young. Daniels is perfect in theory, but in reality, starting a complete non-shooter gives teams an easy weakness to exploit. He’s a specialist, and specialists are best used off the bench.
However, Daniels’ defensive ability and physicality demand a starting spot in certain matchups – NAW can’t compete physically with a Cade Cunningham. In these matchups, Alexander-Walker’s skill set is more advantageous than Risacher's.
The sophomore Frenchman has made significant strides as a defender this season that have flown under the radar, but his offensive game is too inconsistent to be a playoff-caliber starter. For context, Alexander-Walker is shooting 10% higher from deep this season. When your starting SG is Dyson Daniels, the man who went 0/11 from three over a 14-day, eight-game span this season, you need shooting around him. Until Risacher (or Daniels) can become a more consistent threat from deep, NAW must start.
This is one of the good problems teams must address as they build a contending team. If the Hawks handle their starting five with grace, they could spark a hot streak that establishes them as true contenders in an Eastern Conference without a clear top dog. If they fail to make the correct on-court decision, or worse, hurt team chemistry, the Hawks could peter out at the Play-In level and feel forced to trade Trae Young.
This is as pivotal a moment as ever for the Atlanta Hawks. Let us hope Quin Snyder can nail this move.