Pth Roundtable: Who Will Break Out?

This is the second of a series of roundtable questions I’m asking the staff here at Peachtree Hoops about the Hawks this upcoming season. The second question: who will have the biggest breakout performance and why?

Wes: For me, Aaron Wiggins has a chance to shine in a featured bench role. The Thunder were so deep that Wiggins often ended up on the fringe of the rotation, but he has legitimate creation ability off the bounce and a good enough, though shaky, feel to be a CJ McCollum-lite bucket getter. 

I think he’ll be a better team defender and passer than McCollum, however, and play in the screen, move and quick decision offense that Quin Snyder has set up. He’s just 27, the same age as Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s breakout last season. Maybe, just maybe, the Hawks can make it three straight Most Improved Player award winners.

Garrett: I’m going with Aaron Wiggins. The Hawks have shown what they can do when players get the right opportunity — just ask Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. I think Wiggins could be the next player to benefit from that environment. He has the tools to flourish in Quin Snyder’s system, and I like the idea of him becoming a dependable sixth man who provides a spark on both ends.

Graham: A couple Hawks spring to mind. I would agree with the sentiment that Aaron Wiggins has an opportunity to really excel here with Atlanta. There should be ample opportunities for corner threes for him here, and he shot 48% in the right corner from three. If he can swing his left corner threes up from 30% this season he becomes another three-point option for Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum, and Dyson Daniels to kick out to the corner to.

But in the interest of something different – prior to his injury – I would have enjoyed to see how Mo Gueye’s development would have looked like this season. Gueye’s improved touch from three-point range in addition to his length and athleticism are still interesting elements to monitor this season. I don’t have anything more to really add; I was just really looking forward to seeing more Mo Gueye.

Asa Newell is also someone I’m really interested to see in Year 2; he had a really encouraging touch from three and could roll to the rim, but it just became harder to play him as the Hawks began to zone in on an automatic playoff berth. Jalen Johnson was in a similar boat in his rookie season, and now I wonder if Newell may follow a similar step in Year 2 where he gets real minutes this season. If he does, I expect him to be productive.