Atlanta Hawks: 4 Potential Point Guard Targets At NBA Trade Deadline
By Adam McGee
Shelvin Mack
Traded in an ill-advised move to add a version of Kirk Hinrich who was considerably more limited than he was only 12 months ago, it may be time for the Hawks to consider bringing back Shelvin Mack.
The 26-year-old thrived in Utah after the deal reunited him with Quin Snyder, averaging 12.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds in the final 28 games of last season, but has since found himself on a Jazz team with a very different outlook at point guard.
Having received George Hill as part of yet another three-team Hawks trade that saw Jeff Teague end up in Indiana, and with the return of Dante Exum from injury, Utah has now moved Mack to the back of the rotation with limited minutes available to him as he competes with Raul Neto.
Marc Stein of ESPN has suggested that Mack is a target for the Cavaliers, but considering the strong working relationship between the Hawks and Jazz, and Mack’s familiarity with Atlanta’s system, it doesn’t seem beyond the realm of possibility that the Hawks could hijack any potential deal.
As a steady and efficient playmaker during his time in Atlanta, Mack would be more than capable of sharing backup point guard duties with Malcolm Delaney, and he may even be able to step up in front of Delaney in some of his lesser spells of form.
Mack is currently in the final year of a three-year contract he signed as a Hawk, earning him $2.4 million per year. Again, this would make him a perfect short-term rental at a position of need, but not the kind of target you should be giving up very much for.