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Kent Bazemore: Atlanta Hawks’ 2016 offseason priority?

By John Buhler

Jan 21, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Kent Bazemore (24) drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Atlanta Hawks 91-88. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Kent Bazemore (24) drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Atlanta Hawks 91-88. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kent Bazemore will garner an increased payday this upcoming free agency period. Does Bazemore become Atlanta’s offseason priority No. 1 if Al Horford walks?

The Atlanta Hawks will have two key pieces on their 2015-16 roster enter unrestricted free agency this summer in starting center Al Horford and starting small forward Kent Bazemore. While Atlanta would certainly love to re-sign both, what happens if the front office can afford to keep one?

Al Horford is about to earn an NBA maximum salary this summer. Unless he chooses to sign a one-year deal to stay with the Atlanta Hawks before the salary cap explodes in Summer of 2017, he will get a max contract from somebody in the league and he will take it.

While the Atlanta Hawks can offer him more money and an extra year as they have Bird Rights with Al Horford, some NBA executives aren’t so sure that Al Horford will choose to stay with the Atlanta Hawks beyond this season. Teams like the Detroit Pistons, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Toronto Raptors are a few of the other places Horford could suit up for in 2016-17 and beyond.

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So if Horford’s status with the team is in doubt beyond the rest of this season, does it make sense to probably overspend to keep Kent Bazemore in Atlanta on a new deal? It’s not a popular thought, but if Atlanta has to pick between Horford and Bazemore like they had to between Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll last summer, it’s probably best to pick Kent Bazemore.

Of any player currently on the Atlanta Hawks’ roster, Kent Bazemore is the one starter that hasn’t fully reached his potential. Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, and Al Horford are as good as they will ever be. Kyle Korver has regressed, but may again bounce back in the second half as he gets healthier. Dennis Schroder still has room to grow, too, but hasn’t surpassed Teague on the depth chart.

Bazemore went from a guy who never played for Golden State as a defensive specialist to the best three-point shooter on the 2015-16 Atlanta Hawks. He’s shown this season that he can start at the three and carry the offense if need be. When Atlanta let DeMarre Carroll walk, the front office had to have known that Bazemore was more than ready for the challenge to replace Carroll in the starting lineup.

Essentially, it’ll be difficult for the Atlanta Hawks to find another wing player of Kent Bazemore’s caliber on the free agent market, while as painful as it may sound now, they could easily find a big man to pair alongside Paul Millsap at center should Al Horford sign somewhere else in 2016-17.

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Atlanta isn’t going to go 0-2 with both Al Horford and Kent Bazemore. However, if it becomes obvious that they simply cannot go 2-2 with their starting frontcourt pieces, then it may make better business sense to take the younger and less expensive player in Kent Bazemore over Al Horford should it ultimately come to that.

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