Welcome to ATL DeAndre Hunter!

[Jamaaliver]

The Rookie Curve: The Hawks Need De’Andre Hunter As Much As He Needs Them

Atlanta gave up a haul to nab Hunter in the draft. But if he fits as well as the team thinks he will, he could become a major contributor and the Hawks could become major players for star free agents a lot sooner than you think



The Hawks gave up a king’s ransom for De’Andre Hunter. In most situations, Hunter would need to become an All-Star-caliber player to justify all that the Hawks gave up to get him. But the beauty of the team they’ve built is that they don’t need him to be. They just need him to complement the players they already have.

Few NBA teams are as disciplined as the Hawks when it comes to sticking to a long-term plan. In three drafts under GM Travis Schlenk, Atlanta has targeted skill sets more than players. The front office identifies specific types of players whose games complement one another and then moves around the draft to acquire them, without worrying about their abilities in a vacuum. They are putting on a team-building clinic.

The Hawks have now added five key players in the past three drafts; the unusual part is that all five can play in a lineup together. The only way for a team with Trae Young to be good defensively is to surround him with length and athleticism on the perimeter. The Hawks, who now have three of the biggest wings in the NBA, are doing that:

• Huerter: 6-foot-7 and 190 pounds with a 6-foot-8 wingspan
  
• Reddish: 6-foot-9 and 208 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wingspan
  
• Hunter: 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan

Hunter fits better within the context of re-creating the Warriors than almost any of the players taken after him in the draft. He’s bigger and stronger than either Huerter or Reddish, which should allow him to match up with the biggest wings in the NBA. He already knows how to play both team and individual defense after spending three seasons learning from Tony Bennett, one of the best defensive coaches in the NCAA. Virginia just won the NCAA championship largely because Hunter was a key part of a versatile defensive frontcourt that could defend the paint and the 3-point line at a high level. Hunter is strong enough to hold his own in the post and quick enough to switch screens and stay in front of smaller players on the perimeter.

Hunter should also make the Hawks better on offense. He isn’t just a spot-up shooter; he averaged 15.2 points on 52.0 percent shooting last season, and carried Virginia down the stretch of the NCAA championship game, finishing with 27 points on 8-for-16 shooting. His ability to create his own shot and attack mismatches will make him more valuable than most players in 3-and-D roles. Hunter won’t be a primary option on offense early in his NBA career, but he will at least force the opposing team to keep a credible wing defender on him.

Spoiler:

However, for as well as Hunter fits in Atlanta, he’s far from a perfect prospect. Most statistical models frowned on taking him in the top five. The models share a couple of major concerns. Hunter’s an older prospect who didn’t have much of a statistical impact in the NCAA beyond scoring. He was an average rebounder (5.1 per game) and a below-average passer (2.0 assists and 1.4 turnovers) with limited block (0.6) and steal (0.6) averages for a player with his defensive reputation.

The reasons for those poor numbers were easy to spot on the court in college. Hunter is a good but not great athlete without great instincts on either end of the floor. He’s a methodical player who doesn’t have much burst off the dribble, which makes it hard for him to create efficient shots against high-level defenders, and he doesn’t read the floor particularly well. He can make basic passes off the dribble, but he’ll never be a point forward.

The NBA player Hunter most resembles is probably Harrison Barnes, which is not a great value for someone taken no. 4 overall, especially considering the number of picks the Hawks gave up to get him. It just doesn’t matter to them because Barnes, one of the members of the Lineup of Death when the Warriors won their first NBA title in 2015, is all they need Hunter to be.

None of Hunter’s flaws should hold him back in Atlanta. Young will create open shots for him, and all of the 3-point shooting around Hunter will mean that he will play in a lot of space. No one will be sending double-teams at him in the NBA, and he will get the benefit of attacking when the defense is already scrambling. Even though Hunter’s defenders will be quicker and faster in the NBA, they will be coming from farther away. His life should be much easier than it was in college, and in turn, he should make life easier for the other members of the Hawks core.

The Ringer

[Jamaaliver]

NBA Rookies Who Won't Live Up to Their Draft Spot

De'Andre Hunter | Atlanta Hawks



The Atlanta Hawks targeted De'Andre Hunter and traded up to No. 4 overall to secure him. They'll regret not staying put and keeping Nos. 8 and 17.

Hunter may turn into a fine role player, even as a rookie. But he won't finish as a top-five prospect from this class.

His floor—propped up by defensive tools and accurate college shooting—looked more attractive than his ceiling entering the draft. Hunter lacks the athleticism and skill set synonymous with upside. He isn't a blow-by athlete, explosive finisher or advanced shot-creator.

Even his jump shot comes with legitimacy questions. He only made 46 threes through 38 games while averaging 32.5 minutes as a 21-year-old sophomore. He shot just 23-of-62 on pull-up jumpers.

Unlikely to be an impact passer or board man after averaging 2.0 assists and 5.1 rebounds, Hunter will seemingly need to become an elite NBA defender to justify No. 4 overall value. I wouldn't bet on it—or his scoring attack suddenly blowing up.

The New Orleans Pelicans, who turned No. 4 into summer league stars Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, will wind up thanking Atlanta for falling in love with Hunter.

Bleacher Report

[D21]

We will see if this trade up was overpaid... On one side, it seems that Schlenk decided to take the player he thinks is the best player with the best possible pick he could get, but on the other side, it also looks like ATL had bad defense last year, andso he wanted the best defender available in the draft, which would be a bit stupid because the best defender doesn't mean that once in NBA with other players he would be a great defender. It's all relative

In a sense, that's right that the performance of Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be watched by the media, and they will put pressure on Hunter by comparing him to those two players.

Hunter is now in the same situation than Trae, with a "why trading for him ?" question above his head. I hope he can prove that there was something special and can make a bit of impact in his first year.
At least, the way Schlenk picked Trae and Hunter shows some love from him and the team and both players should appreciate and feel great about that.

[fuzzy1]

I have full faith in this kid. He gonna be good

Sent from my SM-J700T using RealGM mobile app

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[steady]

We will see if this trade up was overpaid... On one side, it seems that Schlenk decided to take the player he thinks is the best player with the best possible pick he could get, but on the other side, it also looks like ATL had bad defense last year, andso he wanted the best defender available in the draft, which would be a bit stupid because the best defender doesn't mean that once in NBA with other players he would be a great defender. It's all relative

In a sense, that's right that the performance of Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be watched by the media, and they will put pressure on Hunter by comparing him to those two players.

Hunter is now in the same situation than Trae, with a "why trading for him ?" question above his head. I hope he can prove that there was something special and can make a bit of impact in his first year.
At least, the way Schlenk picked Trae and Hunter shows some love from him and the team and both players should appreciate and feel great about that.

I agree - Hunter will be linked to Hayes and Alex-Walker, and the trade will be debated, for some time.

But whether Hunter works out or not (and I think he will) , I really support how Schlenk / Riley go about their business.

Usung both character and FIT as key decision factors. Being confident, assured and self disciplined in their decisions. They may miss some of their calls but you know it won’t because they are trying to make the easy pick or avoid criticism. I really admire that about Schlenk

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

De’Andre Hunter wanted the Hawks. Now it’s up to him to remind folks what they were missing about him



...in early June when he saw the Hawks had traded Taurean Prince, last season’s starting small forward, and a 2021 second-round pick to Brooklyn in exchange for the No. 17 pick. [T]hat day, June 6, the decision was made in Hunter’s mind: Atlanta was where he wanted to begin his NBA career. If the Hawks felt the same way about Hunter, they would probably need to move up in the draft.

So behind the scenes, Hunter’s agents, Thad Foucher and Joe Smith, worked diligently to make such a deal happen. Draft day was stressful. Trade negotiations were difficult. There were too many unknowns. Then about 30 minutes before the draft started, the Hawks and Pelicans agreed to a deal.

On draft night, the Hawks paid a pick ransom to acquire the fourth overall selection from New Orleans. Foucher and Smith told Hunter the trade signified Atlanta’s strong desire to choose him.

Atlanta appealed to Hunter because of the Hawks’ fast-pace offense, which is the total opposite of how he played at Virginia, where the offense is predicated on playing as slow as possible and controlling the time of possession.

[In high school] Hunter was more known for his offensive ability than his defense, which is the opposite for the rookie now. Hunter could score at all three levels efficiently. He could play with his back to the basket, take opposing defenders off the dribble with ease and get to the rim and finish with either hand.

“He would just score in bunches and could completely take over a game,” Ryan Tozer, Hunter's former High School Coach said. “He was almost unguardable."

There should be more opportunity to showcase his offensive game in the Hawks system. The pick-and-roll between Trae Young and John Collins will attract lots of attention in the paint while Hunter, Kevin Huerter and Alex Len could be on the perimeter waiting for Young to kick out if the look to Collins isn’t clean. With all of the shooting that will surround Hunter in this offense, the space he’ll have to operate should make him effective. While the Hawks are hoping Hunter can help fix their dreadful defense, he still will provide value on offense.

The Athletic

[Jamaaliver]

D Hunter's pre-draft scouting report from ESPN:

De'Andre Hunter | F | Virginia | Age: 21



An undersized center in high school, Hunter redshirted his first college season at the advice of Tony Bennett in order to work on his body. Hunter emerged very quickly as an NBA prospect once he stepped on the court in 2017-18. Hunter was a major factor in Virginia's national championship run, earning first-team all-conference honors, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and All-American status.

Strengths

• Strong measurements for a combo forward prospect at 6-foot-8, 227 pounds with a 7-2 wingspan.
  
  
• Arguably the best defender in college basketball. Often tasked with guarding the other team's best player, be it a point guard or power forward. Has impressive technique containing opposing ball handlers off the dribble, as well as switching onto big men inside the paint with his strong frame and terrific physicality. Extremely active and aware off the ball.
  
  
• Scored both prolifically (21.3 points per 40 minutes pace adjusted) and efficiently (61 percent true shooting percentage) in college. Impacts winning at a high level. Brings terrific toughness and versatility at a position that is rare and important in modern basketball.

Improvement areas

• Good, not great, athlete. Lacks a degree of quick-twitch explosiveness for a potential top-five pick.
  
  
• How does he score consistently in the NBA? Made only 67 3s in 71 games in college. Doesn't have the most natural shooting stroke. Straight-line driver who looks clunky trying to create offense at times and doesn't do a great deal of facilitation for others.
  
  
• Second-oldest player projected to be picked in the top 20. Does he have enough long-term upside to warrant being a top-five pick?

ESPN Insider

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

PTH's post-draft analysis of Hunter to Hawks.

2019 NBA Draft analysis: Atlanta moves up for De’Andre Hunter



Hunter’s game fits what Atlanta needs about as perfectly as any non-Zion pick in this draft. He can knock down spot-up threes, drive to the rim (or pull-up in the mid-range) against a closing defender, and even has some modicum of self-creation in the post and mid-post isolations. He doesn’t profile as more than a team’s No. 3 option offensively without massive unforeseen improvements in his game, but Hunter can play a low-usage role well enough to supplement the high-usage play of Trae Young and John Collins.

On the other end of the floor, Hunter immediately steps in as the team’s best defensive player among the five-man core that now includes Young, Collins, Kevin Huerter and No. 10 pick Cam Reddish. The 21-year-old derives the majority of his value defensively, where he’s strong, quick, and has a very good basketball IQ. He should be fully capable of defending both forward spots at the NBA level, which has a ton of value to a team trying to eventually compete for championships — nearly every championship-level team these days has a high-end forward who can run the team’s offense for large portions of the game. Hunter isn’t going to run the Hawks’ offense with Young still on the team, but if he can stop opposing forwards who are trying to initiate offense, he’ll be a welcome addition to a team that has struggled in that area in recent years.

In the NBA, there will be more room for Hunter to freelance a little bit, as possessions are shorter and there are more of them in a game, leading to each one being less valuable overall than they are in college. With some extra freedom, the Hawks may unlock a bit more creativity and aggressiveness in Hunter’s game on both ends of the floor.

Peachtree Hoops

[Jamaaliver]

...and their pre-season analysis of him.

While shooting and offensive upside are primarily the skills Hawks’ brass looked for in the first round of the previous two drafts, Schlenk’s staff seemingly shifted their primary focus to the defensive end at the top of the 2019 draft board. Hunter certainly has plenty to offer in terms of offensive upside, but his ability to potentially guard all five positions while possessing more than enough offensive acumen to stay on the court for 30 minutes a night in the NBA is what drew the club to his skill set.

Projecting exactly what type of season Hunter has statistically is a tough order, as it’s hard to project exactly how many plays head coach Lloyd Pierce will draw up for the rookie with several more experienced offensive weapons already on the roster. What Atlanta should be able to plug-and-play is Hunter’s defensive versatility as well as shooting. To what degree he measures as a true quality defender as a rookie remains to be seen, but a successful rookie campaign would entail him being tasked with guarding multiple positions with some effectiveness, being relatively competent in catch-and-shoot, and displaying the high IQ he played with at the University of Virginia on both ends of the floor.

While much has been made in the light of Hunter’s defensive versatility, he was almost equally versatile offensively at Virginia. He ranked near the top of his draft class in several areas of the game. Notably, he excelled in the pick-and-roll both as the ball handler and the roll man, ranking fifth in the class in PPP (points per possession) as the ball handler and, while the sample size is small, first in the class in PPP as the roll man, per Synergy Sports. He was 6th in PPP when passing out of the pick-and-roll. The forward also ranked 12th in the class in PPP on post-ups, and 11th in PPP when passing out of the post. A lot of this speaks to the quality of his coaches and teammates, but the numbers are still impressive across the board. Hunter was also 20th in the class in PPP in isolation situations, 18th in transition, and 12th (41 in points on 41 possessions) when attacking defenses after receiving the benefit of an off-ball screen. His offensive game at the collegiate level was extremely well-rounded and it is easy to see why Atlanta is excited to add him to the already talented young core.

Expect Hunter to mesh into the offense as the fourth or even fifth option in the starting lineup, likely being used as a screener for Trae Young to initiate some offense for the team. It feels like Hunter possesses both the skill level and the basketball IQ to mesh into the system seamlessly on the offensive end, while he may be the best defender in the starting lineup from day one.

Peachtree Hoops

[jayu70]

Read on Twitter

Unless it's apple and cheese.

[Jamaaliver]

Lots of eyes are going to be on De’Andre Hunter this season after the Hawks’ trade haul on draft night netted him in return. After talking to several of the players at media day, it sounds like Hunter has made the biggest impression.

Alex Len went as far to say he’s, “Baby Kawhi,” which is obviously enormous praise...Evan Turner, unprompted, also had praise for Hunter.

What the players have noticed in Hunter so far this summer is that his defense has been as good as advertised. He’s also excited to show offensive versatility to the public this season. He’s aware that people believe he’s limited on that end of the floor...He’s still getting used to the pace the Hawks like to play with, but it’s similar to what he played in high school and in AAU.

"It’s been a different adjustment for me, but it’s been fun," Hunter said. "It’ll definitely be fun, especially playing with other great players like Trae Young and Kevin Huerter, who can really shoot, John Collins at the 4 or 5 position who can really shoot and space the floor, I feel like our offense can really be fun.”

The Athletic

[Ball4life32]

He’s taller than I thought (though not too surprised looking at media day pictures) ...same exact height as Reddish. Said he’s 6’9 with shoes.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[jayu70]

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

What Every NBA Team Must See from Its Top Rookie in Camp

Atlanta Hawks: De'Andre Hunter




What team needs to see: Three-point shooting

The Atlanta Hawks specifically targeted De'Andre Hunter in the draft, moving up from No. 8 to No. 4 to secure him. Head coach Lloyd Pierce likely has plans to use him right away, particularly given his projected defensive readiness.

But for Hunter to justify a starting role, he'll need to make the three-point opportunities that come to him.

The Hawks took the third-most threes in the league last year, and without many stretch bigs in their rotation, Pierce will be counting on Hunter to help stretch the floor. It'll be even more important for him to adjust to the NBA's three-point arc if he's playing the wing while John Collins is at power forward.

Hunter will need his three-ball to fall from an individual-scoring standpoint as well, since he isn't the most advanced shot-creator or explosive athlete.

He was accurate at Virginia, making 41.9 percent of his three-point attempts through two seasons. But he averaged only 0.9 makes per game during his college career.

Bleacher Report

[kg01]

I don't need Hunter to be 'baby Kawhi', necessarily. If he's a rich man's Battier, I'm ok with the pick. He'll be a solid pro for double-digit years, culture-setter, contributor to winning. That's all I need.

We'll let Trae and Cam be the flash 'n dash duo.

[Jamaaliver]

^I'M JUST HOPING FOR Khris MIddleton 2.0

[King Ken]

He is gonna be a beast