They Are Who We Thought They Were
After a riveting ending to the Hawks Magic game in Mexico City, Jalen Suggs and Deandre Hunter found themselves in a familiar place, as role players expected to do the little things. Suggs, who has enjoyed moments of brilliance in the early season, watched from the corner as Paolo Banchero committed a mindless charge that ultimately led to Dejountae Murray’s game-winning three. Meanwhile, Hunter, also a longtime resident of the corner, watched Trae Young both sabotage and save the game for his team.
Ten days earlier, Jalen Suggs’s positive impact during the last few minutes of a close game versus the Lakers was undeniable. He was flying around with calculated abandon, like a contact-seeking, yet instinctual NFL safety. On the final play of the game, Suggs positioned himself under the basket, rebounded Franz Wagner’s airball, and had enough wherewithal to dribble out to the wing and attempt a three. This play was a microcosm of what makes Suggs a captivating player. The combination of his proclivity for the intangibles and his raw athleticism almost guarantees him a rotation spot in the league for years to come. The question for Suggs is will he ever be polished enough offensively to land a starting spot on a competitive team? While tonight’s game doesn’t answer this question, it outlines the obstacles that may impede Sugg’s path to success.
Midway through the second quarter, Suggs brought the ball up the court after a made basket. After crossing half-court, he dribbled toward the wing for what seemed like a routine dribble handoff, an action most point guards execute in their sleep. Only the handoff was jumped by the defender and the ball was almost turned over. The Magic’s best offensive options were stranded on the weakside watching a play break down before it even began. Suggs retrieved the ball almost traveled, proceeded with a dribble towards the baseline, and threw up a floater off the wrong foot that rattled around the rim and out. The play was reminiscent of a high school basketball team struggling with the basic fundamentals that are required to carry out an offensive set. A few plays later, Suggs avenged his mishap by exploiting Trae Young off the dribble for an and-1. After a slight hesitation dribble, Suggs got to his spot inside the free throw line, upfaked Trae Young, maintained his pivot foot, absorbed the contact and finished with a touch shot off the backboard. This play, in stark contrast with the aforementioned slop, highlights the juxtaposition that currently illustrates Sugg’s offensive game: On one hand, the opponent hides their worst defender on him while on the other hand, Suggs is confident and capable enough to exploit said matchup. Defensively, Suggs is already solid and switchable. His strength, footspeed, and defensive awareness exceeded what scouts touted him for pre-draft. Ironically, the league’s positionless flow both accommodates Suggs and caps his potential. His versatility and competitiveness make him playable in almost any matchup on any given night, but his nonspecific offensive skill set may lead to him yielding minutes to players who fit more within the flow of the scheme.
Deandre Hunter, the puzzling player on the other side of the ball shares some of Sugg’s characteristics. Archetypically, Hunter is a 3 and D wing with a body that makes most scouts and analysts neglect all of the other skills necessary to succeed in that position. In years prior, Hunter appeared confused, too slow, and incapable of doing the basic tasks that his role demanded. The game always seemed to be moving too fast, and Hunter who was supposed to solve the Hawks’s ever-present wing problem, instead added to the team’s disillusionment. This year, he has been better. His 36 % shooting percentage from three is solid and he is getting to his spots within the arc. He is coming off dribble handoffs, utilizing ball screens to free himself for open jumpers, and slashing to the rim when in 5 out sets. Like Suggs, Hunter still has some perplexing offensive moments. In tonight’s game, Hunter who is not the player you want leading a fastbreak, attempted to Euro step from inside of the arc through three defenders. The move was so egregious that all the defenders almost stole the ball simultaneously before it trickled out of bounds. This happens in football when a backup quarterback throws the ball into triple coverage, but somehow the ball isn’t intercepted. The defenders end up staring at one another in shock.
Hunter and the Hawks find themselves at an interesting junction. The Hawks need a consistent 3 and D wing and, on some nights, it feels like an open audition for the part. Saadiq Bey is a plus-minus darling this season, but his ceiling is a well-rounded 7th man. AJ Griffin is a young player who does some really nice things but is playing for a coach who has little tolerance for youth development. Hunter, the prototypical 3 and D wing is the most reliable but has a low ceiling unless his shooting continues to improve. Ideally, Hunter can make the likes of Giannis, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jimmy Butler work for their points, but this has not been the case. Butler is too crafty and quick and Giannis too big and strong. Hunter has also struggled with containing Jayson Tatum. So where does that leave the Hawks, whose roster is nearly ripe for a deep playoff run? It’s too soon to provide a definitive answer, but the clock is ticking for a team that shouldn’t allow their moment to contend in a top-heavy eastern conference pass them by.
