Moderators: dms269, Jamaaliver, HMFFL
ATL Boy wrote:Delaney signed a guaranteed 2 year contract. There's no way he isn't on the team come opening day. The final spot will probably come down to Patterson vs. Muscala.
HereESPN: Why did you decide to sign with the Hawks? What was your process like in free agency?
Jack: There were a few teams interested. Considering that I live in Atlanta, I played college ball down there [at Georgia Tech] and the people of Georgia are familiar with me, I thought it just made sense on a lot of fronts. I was flattered that they called and wanted to take a chance on me, knowing that I’m coming off knee surgery, but I’m willing to prove to everybody that I’m more than capable of withstanding the physical challenges of the season and just contributing to the team.
ESPN: Some have suggested you may miss the start of the season. Where are you at in your recovery process?
Jack: I wouldn’t believe that. But I believe I’m probably a month out from participating fully in everything. I’m already on the court and going through drills, pretty much doing everything except for going against other people at 100 percent.
ESPN: Dennis Schroder is being handed the keys as the Hawks' starting point guard. How would you evaluate his game?
Jack: I like him. I think the biggest tool he uses is a lot people call him a bit of a pest. He gets under a lot of people’s skin, but he goes out there and competes, and that’s something everyone can respect about him. He’s a very talented kid, fast and crafty.
HereJarrett Jack has 10 years and eight NBA seasons on Dennis Schroder. The Hawks brought in the veteran point guard in part to mentor the newly anointed starter, but don’t expect the basketball knowledge to flow one way.
“We are teammates,” Jack told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’m sure I’m going to teach him some things. I’m sure he’s going to teach me some things. Being a leader or lending a helping hand is never based on your birthday. You can be a young guy leading a bunch of older guys. Or it can be somewhere in the middle."
The Hawks promoted the 22-year-old Schroder to starting point guard when they traded Jeff Teague this summer. The team is counting on Schroder to mature and handle increased responsibilities.
HereCoach Budenholzer wrote:Malcolm Delaney - He is a rookie who has played in the Euroleague final four. He’s played at the highest level in Europe and been one of the top guards over there. It’s almost not fair to call him a rookie. His demeanor and his understanding of the game, we feel really good about his addition. We have so much respect for European basketball. What he has done over there, to add that to our team, we are very hopeful he is somebody who is going to help us.
Jamaaliver wrote:I' been doing a bit of research on Malcolm Delaney the last few weeks. I think there's a good chance he fits in here very well from a skillset perspective. Maybe even better than Dennis. Delaney's been battle tested in Europe, and he's got a more consistent outside jumper.
Here is Bud's assessment:HereCoach Budenholzer wrote:Malcolm Delaney - He is a rookie who has played in the Euroleague final four. He’s played at the highest level in Europe and been one of the top guards over there. It’s almost not fair to call him a rookie. His demeanor and his understanding of the game, we feel really good about his addition. We have so much respect for European basketball. What he has done over there, to add that to our team, we are very hopeful he is somebody who is going to help us.
I think MD is gonna turn out to be a diamond in the rough type of acquisition. Kudos to the much maligned scouting department.
HereThe Atlanta Hawks have been operating without veteran point guard Jarrett Jack for the entirety of the preseason and, on Tuesday evening, head coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed that the team will be shorthanded at the position into the regular season. When prompted about an updated timeline for Jack’s return from right knee surgery, Budenholzer declined to provide specifics...
In Jack’s stead, the Hawks will turn to Malcolm Delaney. The 27-year-old rookie has spent his entire professional career in Europe.
At this stage, it is probably too early to decipher what Atlanta’s plan will be behind Dennis Schröder once Jack returns to full health but, at the very least, it appears as if Malcolm Delaney is going to have a sizable head start. Stay tuned.
atlantabbq99 wrote:Looks like Jacks injury has has caused him to decline more than we thought. Good luck to him. I wonder if he will still try to play here or overseas but I hope he pursues an assistant coaching career.
HereWith the final, 15-man roster solidified, Malcolm Delaney and Dennis Schröder are the only two point guards on the team...leaving the point guard situation in Atlanta razor thin.
These roster moves show that the team has a lot of faith in Malcolm Delaney and is willing to bet on his potential.
Atlanta made signing Delaney a priority last offseason, and (despite Jarrett Jack’s presence) he was always the front runner for the backup point guard spot.
Delaney’s strengths should add a lot to the Hawks. He can handle the ball well, shoot 3-pointers at an above-average rate, and is tall enough (6’3”) to profile as a solid defender.
...the only reason for concern with Delaney is his lack of experience in the NBA. This is always a legitimate concern, since both the play style and overall level of talent in Europe is far different from professional basketball in America.
Atlanta wanted to start the season with three point guards, but clearly feels confident enough in the duo of Schröder and Delaney to go into the year with just two.
Most likely, there will be a third point guard on the roster at some point. With the roster set up the way it is, Delaney will be in line for significant minutes this season.
Jamaaliver wrote:
Would he be a primary backup at SG, or yet another wing option to help with shooting?
If he's gonna fill in mostly at SG, why dump Korver?
SichtingLives wrote:life hack:
When a man heaves a live chainsaw towards you from distance, stand still. No one has good accuracy throwing a chainsaw.
AJCHawks looking for true point guard to fill open roster spot
The Hawks are still evaluating options to fill their 15th roster spot but the player will most likely be a true point guard.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said they are looking over the international, NBA Development League and buyout markets. Budenholzer said the most likely scenario will be a true point guard.
The buyout market will be set today with the NBA’s playoff eligibility waiver deadline. Players must be waived by their current team by midnight on March 1...
The Atlanta Hawks have interest in signing Jose Calderon.
Calderon was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers and then agreed to sign with the Golden State Warriors. Following the injury to Kevin Durant, the Warriors followed through with their agreement to sign Calderon and then waived him... Link
The veteran, 35, is solid, but is he really a better option than Malcolm Delaney?
The Hawks started the season knowing that their backcourt could be an issue.
...Calderon can hit open 3s, run an offense without making mistakes and keep the ball moving, but his defensive deficiencies mean he’s no lock to unseat Delaney as Schröder’s primary backup. Atlanta definitely needed more point guard depth, though, and Calderon provides that.
SichtingLives wrote:life hack:
When a man heaves a live chainsaw towards you from distance, stand still. No one has good accuracy throwing a chainsaw.
HereC-Viv wrote:Jose Calderon served as the backup point guard for the third straight game. Expect at least a few more games with the newly-acquired Calderon getting the nod over Malcolm Delaney.
“Obviously he played well tonight,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We wanted to give him three, four, five games and evaluate then. We still have a lot of confidence in Malcolm. So we’ll play Jose some more. He’s been good. He is getting comfortable. His playmaking has been good for us.”
Calderon finished with 14 points, all in the second half.
“Even the first half took me awhile,” Calderon said. “It’s going to take some time. With no practice time, those are my practices. I’ve got to try not to make mistakes and get a feeling for my teammates at the same time. I’m going to be a little more aggressive. That was my mindset in the second half. The shots gave me a little more confidence. Every game is going to help and every game it has been better.”
