Atlanta Hawks Preseason Storylines Beyond The Surface

Mouhamed Gueye and Vít Krejčí are likely to see increased roles this season. Krejčí has been a Swiss Army knife for the Hawks over the last two seasons, but he likely backs up Zaccharie Risacher at small forward to start this campaign. He has logged two consecutive 20-minute seasons and impressed the organization to sign a four-year, $10.2 million contract last summer.

In contrast, Gueye only entered the Hawks’ rotation last season after Johnson went down in January. He started 28 of 33 contests at power forward but played just 16.2 minutes per game. He flashed great defensive rebounding and shot blocking skills over the season’s final months, but his offensive repertoire is limited. Gueye shot 25.9% from distance on 2.5 attempts per game. If his offensive struggles persist, he could find himself competing with Asa Newell later in the season. The rookie likely starts the season outside the rotation and could run with the College Park Skyhawks for consistent playing time. However, his defensive versatility complements Porziņģis well, and the star center counteracts Newell’s shaky outside shot.

Preseason gives reserves a great opportunity to carve out a role for the regular season. Caleb Houstan, who signed an Exhibit 10-day deal with Atlanta this offseason, will look to earn a roster spot behind Krejčí. The former Orlando Magic player is a 3-point specialist and could play the role Garrison Mathews occupied the past two campaigns.

Friendly Competition at Center

Okongwu and Porzingis form one of the top center duos in the association, but if one of them goes down with an injury, Atlanta needs a third reliable anchor. This is where Charles Bassey and N’Faly Dante enter the picture. Both of them signed non-guaranteed deals this offseason. In a press conference two weeks ago, General Manager Onsi Saleh revealed the motive behind these signings.

“We didn’t have a second round pick this year… one of the things we’ve talked about for a long time is having a developmental big,” said Saleh.

The 23-year-old Dante appeared in four games for the Rockets in his rookie year last season. He spent most of the campaign with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, averaging 16.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks. He falls under the umbrella of a more “traditional big,” someone who protects the rim at a high rate, sets solid screens, and lacks a perimeter game.

Bassey, despite coming into his fifth season, is still 24 years old. He last played in the G-League in the 2022-23 campaign with the Austin Spurs, posting 22.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. Bassey is a more versatile defender and quicker laterally than Dante, but lacks Dante’s size and shot-blocking ability. Both centers have room to develop their offensive skill set, and the Hawks likely play both in the preseason to determine who wins the final 15-man roster spot.