Atlanta Hawks: 5 goals for Kevin Huerter’s rookie season

4. Continue to develop as a creator and initiator

Again, it’s more about Huerter’s secondary skills, rather than his high-level shooting ability. Playing alongside shoot-first guard Anthony Cowan in college, Huerter only got to flash his ability to create with the ball, but if he can expand on it, it could make him a pretty dangerous offensive player.

In 65 career games at Maryland, Huerter finished with 196 assists to 126 turnovers, suggesting that when the ball is in his hands, he tends to make the correct play. In the video above, you can see that he’s a fine ball-handler, creating space to shoot over defenders and even making space for himself to get the basket and finish at the rim.

At the NBA level, him becoming a secondary offensive initiator and creator for Atlanta’s offense would only make the Hawks more dangerous. We’ve seen glimpses and stretches where it looks like a strength, but can he carry that ability over to the next level? Can he use his offensive creativity to not just create open shots from himself, but for others?

With two solid point guards, Huerter will have plenty of chances to score without much creation. However, I’m curious to see if he can become something of a secondary playmaker, as that would elevate his offensive game to new heights alongside Trae Young.