Shelvin Mack: Important Piece or Valuable Trade Asset?

Shelvin Mack has spent the last two and a half seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 6.4 PPG and 3.2 APG as a guard coming off the bench for Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

Mack has shown the versatility to play both point guard and shooting guard for Coach Bud the last two seasons.  Shelvin Mack is one of three ball handlers I trust to run the offense on the Atlanta Hawks, with other two being Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder.

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I’ve liked Shelvin’s basketball intelligence as it has served him well in his four-year NBA career.  Mack is the disciple of two great minds in the Association: Mike Budenholzer here in Atlanta and Boston Celtics HC Brad Stevens for whom Mack starred for collegiately while at Butler University.

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But with the rise of both Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder’s game, Mack has become the third point guard on the Atlanta Hawks and has had to find playing time as a backup two-guard for Kyle Korver.  With his great handle, his basketball intelligence, and his versatility, is Shelvin Mack still a big piece of the bench for the Atlanta Hawks or is he actually an underrated trade asset for Coach Bud and GM Wes Wilcox?

Mack may not have the best defensive skills of a guard (106 DRTG), but his team is better when he is on the floor offensively (102 ORTG).  I attribute much of that to his solid shooting game (40.1-31.5-80.6 in 2014-15) as well as his ability to effectively distribute the basketball.  He’s even shown a proclivity to light up the scoreboard when playing the East’s best team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Shelvin Mack takes coaching well and has made himself into a solid rotational guard in the Association.  The problem is that he doesn’t get to play point guard all that often in Atlanta, as he is third on the Hawk’s depth chart behind Teague and Schroder.  Most of his 15.1 MPG came from shooting guard in 2014-15.

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Though he gives off the vibe of an ultimate team player, maybe Mack grows tired of not being able to do what he does best in Atlanta which is handle the rock and run an offense.  Atlanta’s abundance of talent at point guard and could use Shelvin Mack as a trade asset for a team contending for a 7 or 8 seed in the 2015-16 Playoff Race.

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To me, Shelvin would thrive in Boston playing for his college coach and could provide some veteran leadership and stability in the back court to a team looking to mature.  The Hawks are always looking for ways to improve both on the glass and out on the perimeter defensively.  While I hope Shelvin continues to play well for the Atlanta Hawks, Coach Bud and Wes Wilcox have to realize that Mack is actually a sneakily valuable asset for them if they do wish to make moves heading into next season’s NBA Trade Deadline.

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