Hawks projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
Atlanta Hawks starting shooting guard: Dejounte Murray
The Hawks are in a tricky position with Dejounte Murray. His extension probably qualifies as an underpay in a vacuum, but the fit in Atlanta is rough. Murray struggled to find his role next to Trae Young last season and the Hawks were frequently unable to actualize the theoretical value of two high-level playmakers in the backcourt.
Even so, Murray remains extremely talented. He can impact winning even in imperfect circumstances. His defense faltered last season, but count on that 6-foot-10 wingspan to do a lot more damage in future games. Murray is a dominant on-ball stopper when he's locked in and the Hawks should, if nothing else, feel embarrassed about how last season went. It's time to lock in.
On offense, Murray still managed 20.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists as second banana. In his last season with the Spurs, Murray averaged 9.2 assists. He's one of the best table-setters in the sport, hobbled (statistically) by the presence of arguably the best table-setter in Trae Young. Murray's 3-point volume reached a career high as expected (5.2 attempts per game), but he still has work to do on the consistency front (34.4 percent).
If Murray can get back to his All-Defense ways while upping his 3-point percentage a couple of ticks, his reputation will do a 180 in the new season. A lot of the backcourt fit issues can be attributed to Trae, frankly. Young is one of the most prolific 3-point bombers in the NBA; why isn't he more active moving off the ball and doing his best Steph Curry impression running off screens? That would make him more impactful while affording Murray more opportunities to play to his strengths as a driver and playmaker.
Primary backup shooting guard: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Bogdan Bogdanovic continues to operate in the shadows as one of the NBA's premier sixth men. He averaged 14.0 points and 3.1 rebounds on .447/.406/.831 splits in 27.9 minutes last season. A malleable offensive weapon, Bogey is a knockdown shooter and competent ancillary creator who can share the floor with the Hawks' primary guards or lead the second unit.
Bogdanovic gives the Hawks another shooter with gravitational pull on the 3-point line. He moves without the ball, always relocating to open space or cutting backdoor for finishes at the rim. On the ball, Bogey is comfortable running pick-and-rolls. He dribbles with patience and purpose, often creating space with subtle hesitations before effortlessly rising into his pull-up jumper.
There is a fair number of teams Bogey would start for. He's limited on the defensive end, but he's also 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. He's not getting picked on.
Other players who could receive minutes at shooting guard: Kobe Bufkin, A.J. Griffin, Wesley Matthews
The Hawks selected Kobe Bufkin with the No. 15 pick in June's NBA Draft. The Michigan guard was a big riser during the pre-draft process due to his defensive toughness and smooth three-level scoring. He has room to grow as a playmaker for others, but the Hawks are a great spot for Bufkin on paper. He can focus on spot-up 3s, straight-line drives, and aggressive defense with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray setting the table. Expect him to get burn for a Hawks team that has consciously gotten younger.