Quin Snyder didn’t sound like a coach talking about a standard wing defender before Atlanta’s third preseason game against Indiana. He sounded like someone sizing up a chess piece that can be dropped almost anywhere on the board.
According to Brad Rowland of the Locked On Hawks podcast, Snyder said, "It's hard to say what position he is because he can guard almost every position. There are some centers you can put him on."
That is the real appeal of Lu Dort in Atlanta. This isn’t just about another rugged perimeter stopper showing up and taking the toughest guard assignment. It’s about adding a defender who gives Snyder far more room to play with matchups, rotations and coverages.
Dort is listed at 6-foot-4, so he doesn’t have the classic frame of someone you’d expect to battle bigger forwards or centers. But his power, physicality and defensive feel let him hang in with players who have a real size edge. He’s built more like a linebacker than a typical NBA guard, and that matters when the game turns into a contact battle.
That kind of profile opens up possibilities Atlanta didn’t already have. Snyder can use Dort on point guards, wings, power forwards and, in some situations, even certain centers.
That doesn’t mean he’ll be asked to live in the paint against every big body in the league, because the limitations are obvious. Still, the fact that the option exists at all is a major weapon.
It also fits neatly alongside what Atlanta already has on hand. Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are strong perimeter defenders in their own right, and Dort gives the Hawks another reliable option who can handle ugly matchups without forcing the team to change its identity.
The bigger picture is what this means for Snyder’s lineups. With Dort in the mix, Atlanta can lean harder into switching and make opposing offenses work for every inch.
Screens won’t automatically create a clean mismatch if the player coming over can stay on the assignment. That kind of flexibility can shut down possessions before they really start.
It also helps the rest of the defense stay aggressive. Daniels and Alexander-Walker don’t have to spend as much time compensating for weaker defenders, because Dort can absorb pressure and take on different jobs without the whole structure wobbling.
Against teams with versatile forwards or smaller groupings, that kind of flexibility could matter even more. Atlanta has made its defensive tone clear, and Dort’s physical style fits that plan immediately. Snyder’s comments suggest the value goes beyond just making scorers uncomfortable.
The Hawks didn’t simply add another hard-nosed defender. They added someone whose versatility could make Atlanta’s entire defense tougher to attack.
In Other News...
Aaron Wiggins Is Showing Why The Hawks Needed Him This Summer
Aaron Wiggins has wasted little time giving the Hawks a preview of why they wanted him in the first place. Added this summer, he has looked comfortable as a perimeter threat in preseason action, the kind of player who can help bend a defense and create the floor spacing Atlanta needs around its key pieces.
The shot profile is what makes Wiggins worth watching as the regular season gets closer. Atlanta has been looking for reliable help from the outside, and Wiggins has shown enough touch to suggest he can matter in the rotation right away. If that carries over, the Hawks may have found a useful piece for a roster that needs more shooting than most teams can afford to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Quin Snyders Final Preseason Choices Could Say A Lot About The Hawks
The Hawks close out the preseason Thursday at State Farm Arena against an Oklahoma City group that will look much different than a typical NBA opponent. The Thunder are leaving their veteran rotation players at home and plan to use rookies, two-way players and Exhibit 10 guys, which gives Atlanta a final tune-up that is less about the scoreboard and more about the last bits of evaluation before the games start to count.
For Quin Snyder, the bigger question is how he wants to handle his own rotation. Atlanta could go the cautious route and sit its main pieces, or use the matchup to stretch the minutes of players who have not seen much run so far. However Snyder handles it, this is the kind of preseason decision that can hint at which fringe players are closest to earning trust once the regular season begins. [Read more 🡒]