Atlanta Hawks: 2017-18 player grades for Taurean Prince

Final grade

While the numbers don’t bear this out, Prince is going to be a good player in this league for a long time. He can shoot the lights out from three, although he has to get better from above the break. He can put the ball on the floor a bit, but he has to improve there too (0.63 points per possession on pick-and-rolls). And of course, his length and ability suggest that he will become a great defender. He just needs more game time to improve.

As I said about John Collins, Prince is on the right team for him to hone his skills. The Hawks aren’t competing for a title anytime soon, so Prince will have the chance to work out the kinks in his game. If he continues his upward trajectory, he could become one of the better two-way players in the NBA.

For now, Prince is a lanky, athletic swingman with a lethal shooting stroke and an ability to take some defenders off the dribble. He has a good basketball IQ and can fill many roles for this team on both sides of the ball. If Prince can fine-tune his game, he may emerge as one of the most valuable young players on the Hawks’ roster, and a big part of their future.

Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft

Grade: C