When the Atlanta Hawks traded away Adreian Payne, the man they had taken with their first-round draft pick last summer, all the talk around the league was about who the Hawks would find to fill their final roster spot. I don’t think anyone had Jarell Eddie in that particular sweepstakes though.
Back at that time, the focus was still on where Ray Allen was going to sign for one more championship push (the answer was nowhere), and whether Mike Budenholzer would be able to resist signing an old favorite of his if Gary Neal was bought out by Minnesota (it never happened, Neal is still a Timberwolf).
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Instead, the Hawks had their own ideas though, as they often do. To this Atlanta team, nothing is more important than philosophy, fit and intelligence. They’re not after big names or egos, it’s all about how they can bring new faces into the winning culture that they have developed.
You may not know much about him, but that’s what makes Eddie a perfect fit. Having gone undrafted last summer following four years at Virginia Tech, Eddie has gone through the ideal preparations to be able to slot in with the Hawks this late in the season.
Having been a part of Atlanta’s training camp roster, the 23-year-old already knows the Hawks players and coaching staff and the way that they approach things. Not only that, but having failed to make Atlanta’s final roster for the season, he landed in the D-League with none other than the Austin Spurs.
Austin, as the San Antonio Spurs affiliate, play a very similar brand of basketball to that which Coach Bud carried over to Atlanta from his days in that organization.
As a result, key concepts like team defense, unselfish ball movement and floor spacing are all going to feel very familiar to Eddie.
In his 37 games played in Austin this season, 16 of them as a starter, Eddie has averaged 11.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists a night. He’s done all of that while shooting 42.1 percent from the field, and 42.2 percent from downtown.
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Further validating Eddie’s status as a sharpshooter is the fact that he won the D-League’s three-point contest just three weeks ago, toppling Seth Curry off the back of two sensational rounds of 24 and 25.
With the Hawks’ wings already loaded with shooters in the form of Kyle Korver, DeMarre Carroll, Kent Bazemore, John Jenkins and Thabo Sefolosha, Eddie just adds yet another threat to a scarily and surprisingly deep rotation.
Currently signed on a 10-day contract, the fact that Eddie has yet to step on the floor would seem ominous at most NBA teams. Particularly seen as in their loss to the 76ers last night, the Hawks completely rested Paul Millsap, along with Korver and Carroll. This isn’t just any organization though, this is the new-look Atlanta Hawks.
I’d expect Eddie to be a given a second 10-day, and some more time to blend in and re-acclimatize himself, and from there, who knows?
Although it might be a surprise to those outside of the Hawks bubble, it’s more than possible that the team could view Jarell Eddie as another valuable contributor to bring to battle with them in the coming months.
Next: What's Happened To Kyle Korver's Shooting?
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