Hawks sign 2nd Rounder Dorsey to Guaranteed Contract

[Jamaaliver]

Hawks rookie Tyler Dorsey showing major growth in G League

John Collins isn’t the only rookie showing what he’s capable of lately

Since moving down to Erie, Dorsey has been back and forth to Atlanta four more times but overall has played very well for the Bayhawks. During his time in basketball’s minor leagues, Dorsey has posted a stat-stuffed scorecard of 19 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.4 steals in over 33 minutes a game. Dorsey is also hitting 3.5 three pointers per game at a 43 percent clip for Erie.

However, the Hawks already knew he could score, and were really more interested in focusing his development in ball handling and on defense, albeit against G League competition, which Dorsey has done beautifully.

So as Dorsey continues to wait for an opportunity to get more playing time in Atlanta, he’s making very clear that he is an impact prospect as much as anyone else in the 2017 class. It’s also great to see the Hawks, a team that has to find talent through the draft, hit on prospects that are going to be integral in the future of the team. After drafting Taurean Prince and DeAndre’ Bembry in 2016 they have followed up with Collins and Dorsey in 2017 and all four are looking like NBA contributors in the near future. Although Collins is getting regular playing time, watch out for Mr. Dorsey, as he’s knocking on the door of the rotation to make sure everyone knows what he’s capable of for the Hawks.

Peachtree Hoops

[graymule]

Good report. Thanks. Something else to remember when discussing trade deadline deals. Hawks have assets
that could be called up to fill in for traded players, if necessary.

[macd-gm]

I'm ready to give the kid a chance. Right now, Baze, Belli, and Delaney are eating up SG minutes but if that continues all season I'd call that a major fail. I'd expect at least 2 of these guys to be gone next season.

[LamarHampton]

^^not sure, but pretty sure the plan is that he will get his chance just as soon as we move Belli. He will get a lot more burn in Erie for now anyway, so it's good for him. I'm not as enamoured with him as others but that's just how it seems like it will play out. Shouldn't be too much longer now, just keep praying for Belli to keep them nimbers up.

[Jamaaliver]

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Tyler Dorsey went from being a star for Oregon during its run to the NCAA Final Four to a spot on the end of the Hawks bench with a frequent flyer card to Erie, Pa.

Welcome to the NBA, rook.

As has been the Hawks way under coach Mike Budenholzer, most rookies have been brought along slowly, with time to learn the NBA game and develop trust.

Take Taurean Prince, a first-pick in 2016, who spent time on the bench and G League before earning a spot in the starting lineup in the playoffs last season and a permanent spot this season.

Take Dennis Schroder, a first-round pick in 2013, who played in 16 of the team’s first 42 games his rookie season. He played in just 49 games and a total of seven playoff minutes that first year before taking over as the starting point guard last season.

“It’s been part of my journey, going back and forth between the G League and here,” Dorsey said. “The message is getting better, working on the things they want me to work on and staying patient.

“This is my job now,” Dorsey said. “I get to do this however many hours I want. I’m loving it. I don’t have to go to class or anything like that. … The first half of the season has been going up and down for me. I think I’m going to be ready for this next half of the season.”

In 10 G League games, Dorsey averaged 19.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals as he shot .424 from the field and .427 from 3-point range.

[Jamaaliver]

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[jayu70]

He's more athletic than I thought.

[Jamaaliver]

After ‘begging and waiting’ for chance, Hawks rookie Dorsey cracks rotation

Dorsey had probably his best game of the season in the 105-100 victory over the Timberwolves Monday night.

It was the fourth time in the past 10 games that Dorsey made a positive impact while playing important minutes late in a competitive game.

Dorsey has cracked the rotation in January, something that isn’t easy for a second-round pick.

“I’m liking his competitiveness,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He’s taking advantage of his opportunities. He’s got a knack offensively and we’ve just got to keep working with him defensively."

Surprisingly, Dorsey...has been a good rebounder for his position (89th percentile defensive). Dorsey’s NBA-ready skill is shooting but early in the season he, like many fringe rookies, seemed rushed and out of control offensively. With more consistent minutes has come better shooting: 51.1 effective field-goal percentage over his last 10 games, including 12-for-26 on 3-pointers.

Dorsey hardly ever turns it over, but hasn’t created many assists. Those are things to monitor for Dorsey in the long term. Lately he’s shown that he can have some value as a scorer off the bench. That’s a positive development for the Hawks after his early-season struggles.

myAJC

Kudos to Dorsey and the coaching staff (in both Erie and Atlanta) for all the hard work.
The way Dorsey was brought along is kind of what I'd hoped we'd do with Collins. Develop him slowly, away from the limelight. And then give him an increasingly larger role as the season progresses.

It's what I hope we see with all of our draftees moving forward.

NOTE: It's clear Schlenk has an eye for talent. Even in the later rounds.

[macd-gm]

When I saw Dorsey in pre-season I was impressed with his quickness as well as his ability to get up there to finish in the lane. His vertical must be pretty good. So I'm not too surprised that he's an effective rebounder. Would love to continue seeing him getting the bulk of the backup 2 minutes.

[ATL Boy]

I'm completely impressed with Dorsey at this point. I absolutely love seeing him put the ball on the floor and driving when the opposing defender sells out on the 3-point shot. This is something that'll add another layer to his offensive game.

[Jamaaliver]

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[HMFFL]

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Great news!
I hope he plays 30+ tonight against Orlando. Let's see what he can really do!!!

[Jamaaliver]

Hawks rookie Dorsey on the rise

Hawks rookie Tyler Dorsey had a bad game in the loss at Milwaukee last night.

But such duds have become rare for Dorsey, who turns 22 years old on Sunday. Over the past two weeks, Dorsey has nearly doubled the number of significant minutes he’s played this season and the results have been encouraging for the Hawks.

Over that eight-game stretch Dorsey has played 163 minutes while scoring 13.2 points per 36 minutes. During those games he posted a 55.3 true shooting percentage with a 17.2 usage rate.

Dorsey’s positive impact goes back further. In the 16 games (285 minutes) since becoming a rotation regular following the West trip, Dorsey’s -0.5 net rating is third-best among Hawks regulars.

after...spending most of his time in the G-League, Dorsey is shooting better [and] also is playing better defense and providing unexpected rebounding production.

[T]here is no NBA veteran on the Hawks’ bench to play the wing, leaving Dorsey to seek minutes alongside Delaney and DeAndre’ Bembry.

myAJC


This should be the development plan for all of our young draftees moving forward.

Kudos to Dorsey for making the most of his opportunities.

ALL his opportunities.

[macd-gm]

Dorsey should just be getting all the minutes at this point that Delaney has been getting.

[Jamaaliver]

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One of the things that Dorsey does well is that when he handles the ball, he probes the defender's tendencies with a side-to-side dribble across his body. If the defender commits, Dorsey has the ball control to yank it back in the opposite direction and create a driving lane.

But Dorsey's offensive arsenal extends beyond the occasional crossover. He is shooting 36.4 percent on threes. When he gets in the paint, he makes crisp, decisive moves that result in a quality shot. He is also starting to live up to the billing that General Manager Travis Schlenk laid out for him on draft night. Schlenk said then that he thought Dorsey could develop into a secondary ballhandler and creator.

Dorsey knows that while his offense will always be an asset for him, the thing that will earn him the most minutes is what he does on the defensive end.

"Tyler has a knack for scoring," Head Coach Mike Budenholzer said after a recent game. "We want him to continue to work on his defensive activity, getting better. The more he plays, the more he’ll have to learn to read and see the game. I like his aggressiveness, I like the way he’s playing."

[Jamaaliver]

Seeing Dorsey play so well of late, I'm kinda excited by the prospect of him playing alongside a point forward like Luka Doncic.

Dorsey, offensively, is the kind of focused scorer who'd likely thrive next to a passer/playmaker the caliber of Doncic.

Collins
Doncic
Taurean
Dorsey

that lineup won't contend for titles (or provide any kind of defense)...but they would be incredibly fun to watch.

[Jamaaliver]

Dorsey’s defensive stand against Suns was significant

Dorsey, who made his second career start, was put in the position to defend the game’s final shot [against Phoenix] because coach Mike Budenholzer chose to sit experienced players such as Dennis Schroder to watch how the youngsters played in a tight game.

Hawks rookie Tyler Dorsey’s coverage of Devin Booker should be highlighted - especially on what could have been the Suns’ leading scorer’s own game-winning shot with 0.4 seconds left.

Booker struggled early against the Hawks, mainly due to the defense pressure applied by Dorsey. The former first-round draft pick out of Kentucky shot 2 of 5 from the field for four points with five turnovers in the first half. Booker is the NBA’s 10th leading scorer at 25.1 points per game.

“Just staying attached to him all game, just make shots hard for him and if he makes difficult ones all night, that’s what I want him to do. That was my mindset coming into it the whole night,” Dorsey said after the Hawks’ 113-112 win.

Just moments after, Dorsey ranked the defensive stand in the final second as one of his favorite moments of the season.

“Tonight’s up there for sure,” Dorsey said. “Because I just gave the defense a stop, had that one-on-one for the game, so it’s ‘Get the stop or you have a game-winner on your head.’”

“I think I’ve built since the beginning of the season,” Dorsey said. “Mostly defensively and learning how to guard those players that come off screens and do those screens and it’s been a journey for me. Now I’m just taking advantage of my opportunity every time I get a chance to step on the floor.”

myAJC

[macd-gm]

Dorsey has been great. The dude is going to be a good rotation player for us because he isn't just a shooter. He can drive and finish.

[Spud2nique]

Dorsey has been great. The dude is going to be a good rotation player for us because he isn't just a shooter. He can drive and finish.

Agreed and pleasantly surprised. I honestly thought he would struggle a lot in aspects outside of shooting..that hasn’t been the case, he’s putting together a nice second half and taking advantage of his PT. Good stuff TDors!

[ATL Boy]

His defense against the Suns was incredibly prevalent. The effort with which he played defense captured my attention off the ball a few times. If he can develop into a least an average defender he'll be a complete steal with what he brings on offense.