Aaron Wiggins keeps stacking good nights, and the Hawks are running out of reasons to keep him in the second unit.
Atlanta has been a roller coaster to open the season. The Hawks started with two wins, dropped three straight, then lost four of five before settling back in with two straight victories. Through all of that, Wiggins has quietly become one of the most reliable pieces on the roster, and Wednesday’s 120-105 win over the Washington Wizards only strengthened the case that he belongs in the starting five.
Coming off the bench, Wiggins logged 29:01 and delivered 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. He went 6-of-14 from the floor and hit 3-of-7 from deep. It was another strong all-around showing in a season full of them.
Atlanta brought Wiggins in this summer in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were clearing salary in an effort to duck the second apron. Since arriving, he has wasted no time becoming one of the Hawks’ most important players. The issue now isn’t whether he can help - it’s how long Atlanta can keep him out of the first five.
The Hawks already have a solid starting group in place, but Wiggins keeps forcing the conversation. Atlanta is 5-4, and the team’s results have been uneven enough to show both sides of the equation: some blowout wins, some lopsided losses, and not much middle ground. Wiggins, though, has been a steady presence through it all.
The numbers back that up. He’s sitting at a plus-26 on the season, which puts him near the top of the team’s total plus/minus leaderboard.
If Zuby Ejiofor’s limited sample is set aside, Wiggins ranks third. Plus/minus doesn’t tell the whole story, of course - Jalen Johnson is a minus-17, Kingston Flemings is a minus-24, and Lu Dort is also a minus-24 - but Wiggins’ influence on winning is hard to miss.
At some point, the Hawks are going to have to reward that consistency with a start. He’s making the decision harder by the game, and it feels like only a matter of time before Quin Snyder gives him the chance.
In Other News...
Hawks Frontcourt Faces Another Test With One Key Status Still Unclear
Jalen Johnsons status remains one of the bigger questions hanging over Atlantas frontcourt as the Hawks get ready to face the Wizards. Johnson is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain and has already missed the last two games, leaving Quin Snyder to keep sorting through a rotation that is already thin with several other Hawks expected to sit because of injuries.
Asa Newell is also on the report, along with Jock Landale, Keshon Gilbert, Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar, which only adds to the challenge of piecing together enough size and depth for the matchup. Snyder has pointed to Zuby Ejiofors recent play as a bright spot, praising the way he fits into Atlantas defensive identity, but the bigger issue for the Hawks is how much they can ask of that front line if Johnson is not available again. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Rookie Has A Rare Chance To Challenge A Franchise Icon
Kingston Flemings is already getting a kind of rookie assignment most first-year players never see. The recent top-ten pick stepped into his first career start against Washington and handled the moment well enough to help Atlanta come away with a victory, a strong early sign that the Hawks are willing to put real responsibility on his shoulders right away.
The next meeting with the Wizards brings an even more unusual wrinkle, because Flemings is expected to start again while sharing the floor with Trae Young, one of the franchises defining names. For a rookie still settling into the league, it is a rare chance to measure himself in a game that carries both immediate stakes and a little extra symbolism for a Hawks team that has already shown it trusts him in a bigger role than most first-year players get. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Frontcourt Just Took Another Hit Fans Wont Like
The Hawks frontcourt depth took another hit with Asa Newell sidelined after suffering a left great toe hyperextension. Atlanta said he will be reevaluated in about two weeks, though the recovery could stretch beyond that point, adding another layer of uncertainty to a roster already dealing with multiple injuries.
Keshon Gilbert also remains out after undergoing a non-surgical procedure for left knee inflammation, and he is due to be reevaluated in roughly six weeks. With several Hawks still on the shelf, the injury list is starting to shape the teams day-to-day options in a way that could force more lineup shuffling than anyone in Atlanta would like. [Read more 🡒]