This summer was filled with many twists and turns for almost every NBA franchise. Even the Atlanta Hawks had a very busy summer, bringing in new players and front-office executives.
But the fanbase was rocked yet again after the team announced Kyle Korver’s departure from the front office. It’s not surprising given the addition of Tim Bontemps, and all of the changes to the roster.
Nonetheless, Korver’s presence will be missed around the Hawks practice facility and for good reason.
Analyzing Atlanta’s legendary three-point sniper
The Iowa native made a name for himself after being traded to the Hawks in 2012, and the rest was history. He would drain 916 three-pointers during his tenure in Atlanta, with his highest percentage reaching 49.2 during the 2014-15 season.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters in league history, therefore making him the greatest shooter to ever wear a Hawks jersey. Many were surprised when he made the 2015 All-Star game at the age of 33, but it was hard to deny his impact.
Paul Millsap and Al Horford do not lead the Hawks to the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals without Korver on the wing. Many fans will remember when his 2015 playoff run was ended in Game 2 of the ECF after Matthew Dellavedova dove for a loose ball, rolling Kyle’s ankle as a result.
Horford was angered seeing his comrade go down for the season, and during Game 3, he was ejected after elbowing the Australian while chasing yet another loose ball. Following the game, Al defended his action and expressed his frustrations with Dellavedova after the game:
“There's chippiness out there. He's a player that plays hard, but there has got to be a line at some point.”
This playoff series was the peak of Kyle’s time with the Hawks. After being traded from the team in 2017, he retired with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020. However, it wouldn’t take long for him to find his way home.
From the court to the front office
Kyle Korver was hired by the Hawks in 2022 as the Director of Player Affairs and Development. He took the title and ran with it, helping multiple prospects reach their potential. He was vital during Jalen Johnson’s rise to stardom and Dyson Daniels’ arrival.
Korver tried his best to help Zaccharie Risacher before he was traded to the Mavericks, but we could still see his teachings help Risacher in Dallas.
Now that his time in Atlanta has officially come to an end, it’s evident that Kyle Korver had a profound impact.
It’s unfair to blame Korver for former GM Landry Fields’ mistakes. Most of his decisions set the franchise back, especially when Fields gave DeAndre Hunter a $95 million extension, just for Fields to trade Hunter later on.
Does Kyle Korver deserve a jersey retirement?
In the future, Hawks fans will only have respect for Korver when they reflect on the Hawks’ history. The best way to immortalize a non-Hall of Famer is a jersey retirement, which shouldn’t be off the table for the sharpshooter.
He spent five years with the Hawks, represented them in the 2015 All-Star Game, and worked in the front office for four years after leaving the court. It’s not a stretch to say the #26 jersey could hang from the rafters, but only time will give us this answer.
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