Atlanta Hawks: 2017-18 player grades for Kent Bazemore

Final grade

Bazemore is the perfect role player for today’s NBA. He’s athletic, defends hard and — most importantly — can sink the 3 with efficiency. He should make a great complementary piece for whoever the next face of this franchise is.

At his age, he will likely never blossom into a star player, but that’s okay. The vast majority of NBA players aren’t superstars. But while superstar players are needles in a haystack, dependable role players are just as hard to come by. Sometimes, you find versatile players who can occasionally step into ball-dominant roles when necessary. Other times, you overpay for a guy like Evan Turner. It isn’t an exact science.

So when a team gets a guy that improves year-to-year and is comfortable in his supporting role like Bazemore, it makes the team better as a result.  If he can stay healthy — which has also been a problem of his — and he continues to refine his game, he will serve this young Hawks team well going forward.

For Atlanta to return to the postseason — and title contention — it will have to acquire a superstar or two. With the third overall pick in a draft deep with talent, the Hawks have a good chance of nabbing one there. But they will also need quality “others”; veterans who can space the floor and provide leadership to the youngsters. The will need players like Kent Bazemore.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Doncic still No. 1 in post-lottery edition

Grade: C