2024-25 Atlanta Hawks Roster Preview: Garrison Mathews

The veteran sharpshooter should continue to be a helpful floor-spacer for the Hawks in 2024.

Apr 10, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Garrison Mathews (25) shoots behind Charlotte Hornets forward Aleksej Pokusevski (17) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Age: 28 (7th season)

Height, Weight: 6'5, 215 lbs

2023-24 Averages: 4.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists on 45.6%/44.0%/81% splits (66 games)

Career Averages: 6.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists on 40.7%/38.1%/84.2% splits (267 games)

Any possession that ends with a Garrison Mathews three-point shot is likely a good one.

Ever since the guard has arrived in Atlanta, he's shot the ball well from three-point range. Before being traded to Atlanta in February of 2023, the former Houston Rocket was undergoing a slump that severly reduced his utility on the court. He was only connecting on 34.2% of his three-pointers and looked to be little more than salary filler. However, in the nine games he played with Atlanta that year, he immediately ramped his percentage from deep up to 40% on similar volume to his Rockets tenure.

Mathews showed his production was not a fluke in 2023-24. Across a fairly large sample size of 66 games, he shot over 40% on 2.9 attempts per game. He was also one of the more consistent shooters in Atlanta's lineup. Outside of a poor February where he shot 34% from deep, he shot 36% or better from deep for every month of the season.

Now, it is worth noting that Mathews is not the most versatile player. He is not much of a defender or passer. If he is going through a shooting slump, it's highly unlikely that he will be featured much in the rotation. However, he is still the kind of player that works extremely well around stars. He can make an impact on the game in just a few touches, which is always helpful to have in the rotation.

In terms of his 2024-25 role, things might be a little more reduced for Mathews. I would expect Zaccharie Risacher to take away some of the catch-and-shoot looks that Mathews got last year and I also think growth from Dyson Daniels as a shooter could eat into Mathews' touches. His role likely will not change next season, but he will have to remain effective in the touches he gets.

It is also possible that Atlanta decides to add his salary in a trade. He signed a new contract this offseason that gives him a $2.2 million dollar team option. While it is not enough to headline a trade, his deal could be a nice sweetener for teams that are starved for shooting. Overall, Mathews has been a helpful player for Atlanta and it would be dissapointing to let him go.

Best-Case Scenario: Mathews maintains his production from deep (over 40% from three-point range) on a bigger shot volume (4-5 attempts per game) and continues to be a reliable part of Atlanta's spacing.

Worst-Case Scenario: Mathews sees a dip in his production from deep (around 35% from three-point range) on similar shot volume and his shooting numbers experience more volatility. His role in the rotation shrinks.