Hawks veteran names 'dark-horse candidate' for season-long award

Atlanta Hawks fans may have heard all of the pessimistic outlooks for the team coming into the 2024-25 season. But not everything about the new-look roster has changed, and that is a good thing. 

The Hawks still roster several figures from the 2023-24 season, including veteran swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic, 

Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes named him a “dark-horse candidate” for Sixth Man of the Year.

“You never want to catch yourself assuming you know better than the oddsmakers, but how could anyone avoid that thought upon seeing Bogdan Bogdanović behind 17 other players in Sixth Man of the Year odds?” Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes wrote on September 24.

“The veteran combo guard was fifth in voting last year, displayed a raucous level of defiant competitiveness in the Olympics and figures to occupy an even bigger role for an Atlanta Hawks team that traded away Dejounte Murray. Bogdanović's production has been rock-steady throughout his seven-year career, with a scoring average ranging from a low of 11.8 to last year's high of 16.9 points per game.”

Bogdanovic averaged career-highs with 16.9 points (on 56.9% true shooting) and 1.2 steals, adding 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

Perhaps most important to this discussion, Bogdanovic prefers closing games.

Bogdan Bogdanovic's preferred role with Hawks could help in chase for Sixth Man of the Year

“Everybody likes to start right here,” the 32-year-old swingman said per Lauren L. Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in December 2022. “But I like to finish the games more. Honestly.”

He is adept at both roles, but his age and injury history suggest a bench role is best for him in the long run.

His versatility makes that a possibility in the first place.

“Capable of running the show on the ball, bending defenses away from it and toggling between both roles as necessary, the 31-year-old is basically everything you could want in a top reserve,” Hughes wrote.

“The Hawks feel destined to post a win total in the 30s, which could make it hard to convince voters that Bogdanović's bench contributions actually matter. But team success isn't quite the same deal-breaking factor for Sixth Man as it is for MVP. That Bogdanović finished as high as he did last season offers hope he can climb the ranks even if Atlanta disappoints.”

It helps confidence that Bogdanovic is coming off a strong run, helping his native Serbia win a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

He also wants to appear in all 82 games this coming season.

It is a lofty goal, but one that would bode well for the Hawks. He finished with the top on-off differential on the Hawks’ roster in 2023-24, per Cleaning The Glass. It was his second finish in the top two in the past three seasons.

More Bogdanovic is better, as long as the burden is not too much for the fiery veteran. He is one of the reasons for optimism for the upcoming campaign.

Bogdanovic would be the second Hawk to win the award and first since Jamal Crawford in 2009-10.