ATL All Day
Fansided

Atlanta Hawks: Who Becomes 2nd Best 3-Point Option?

By John Buhler

facebooktwitterreddit

The Atlanta Hawks have arguably the best three-point shooter in the NBA in SG Kyle Korver.  Kyle has led the league in three-point field goal percentage the last two seasons (47.2% in 2013-14 and 49.2% in 2014-15).

Even coming off two major surgeries this offseason, the 34 year-old sharpshooter should rebound and have a nice 2015-16 campaign for the Atlanta Hawks.  Shooting is one skill that doesn’t seem to fade with time like so many others.

-= See Also: Dennis Schroder to Take the Next Step in 2016? =-

However, the Atlanta Hawks do have to replace arguably their second best three-point scoring option in DeMarre Carroll who is now with the Toronto Raptors.  Carroll develop a solid stroke from long distance, making 39.5% of his threes last season.  So with DeMarre gone, do the Atlanta Hawks have a guy on their roster that can shoot around 40% from three-point land?

Live Feed

Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Expert Predictions, Picks for Nikola Jokic, Lakers-Mavericks)
Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Expert Predictions, Picks for Nikola Jokic, Lakers-Mavericks) /

Betsided

  • Every NBA Team's Odds to win the NBA Championship After In-Season TournamentBetsided
  • Best NBA Odds for Every Game Today (Tuesday, Dec. 12)Betsided
  • Hawks' Quin Snyder reacts to Trae Young's ejection in loss to NuggetsSoaring Down South
  • Insider lists Hawks among 'expected' trade suitors for NBA championSoaring Down South
  • Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Expert Predictions, Picks for Luka Doncic, Jamal Murray)Betsided

    • I see three players on the 2015-16 roster that could become that other lethal three-point option for the Atlanta Hawks: Kent Bazemore, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jeff Teague.

    Like Carroll, Bazemore came to Atlanta mostly as a defensive specialist.  HC Mike Budenholzer knew that defense would come easy to Kent and that his inherent athleticism could help make him a more polished offensive player.

    In his first season with the Atlanta Hawks, Kent Bazemore shot a surprising 36.4% from long-range.  It usually takes around 30 or so games in Coach Bud’s system as a wing to find the best spots on the floor to take personally high percentage shots.

    Kent thrives just past the elbow beyond the arc, not exactly most efficient shot in basketball (the corner three) but decently close to it.  DeMarre Carroll excelled from that spot on the floor, too.  With Bazemore arguably a little ahead of where Carroll was offensively entering Year Two in Atlanta, perhaps it is Baze that becomes that other great outside option for Coach Bud.

    Tim Hardaway Jr. is the son of a fantastic outside shooter Tim Hardaway Sr., a 5x NBA All-Star and a career 35.5% three-point shooter.  Jr. has had his critics with his first two NBA seasons with the New York Knicks, but Tim is a career 35.3% outside shooter in 151 total games.

    Coach Bud thought very highly of Tim Hardaway Jr. and orchestrated multiple draft day deals to get him from the Knicks.  We know the offensive game is there and playing for a competitive squad could bring out some defensive tenacity as well as an even better perimeter game.  I think Bud found a diamond in the rough here with Tim Hardaway Jr.  That’s what you have to do to replace a DeMarre Carroll in a mid-level market.

    Lastly, I could see Jeff Teague becoming that strong outside shooter.  His perimeter game has improved though I do think he’s most effective in the pick and roll as well as driving to the basket and forcing and-ones.  Teague finished 2014-15 with a three-point percentage of 34.3%.

    More from ATL All Day

    I don’t envision Jeff Teague becoming a Stephen Curry type of facilitating scoring guard, but maybe the game slows down for Teague a little more in 2015-16.  Perhaps he can incorporate the long-range game into Teague Time instead of just attacking the paint and breaking down the deficit/expanding the lead that way.

    Offensively, replacing DeMarre Carroll on the wing will not come easy, but Atlanta does have the depth to survive.  Atlanta isn’t going to replace Carroll’s production right away with one player.  Until that next player reveals himself, Coach Bud will get his players to trust the system and make up for Carroll in the aggregate.

    More from Atlanta Hawks

    If I had to pick the player most likely to become the next 40% three-point shooter for the Atlanta Hawks, I’m going to have to lean towards Tim Hardaway Jr.  He shot for a high percentage in New York in the triangle offense.  Imagine how noticeably better he will play in a system that thrives on creating space for outside jump shooters.  If his defense improves, he could replace Thabo Sefolosha in the starting lineup.  In Bud we trust, Go Hawks!

    Next: Kevin Durant: Could Hawks Sign Him Next Offseason?

    More from ATL All Day

    Home/Atlanta Hawks