2024 NBA Summer League: Three Things To Watch This Summer With The Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta kicks off their summer league schedule this Friday with a matchup against the Washington Wizards

Jun 28, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks first overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher poses for a photo with general manager Landry Fields at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Summer League is officially underway, but the Atlanta Hawks don't get things started until Friday, when they square off against the Washington Wizards. It will be the first chance to see this year's No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher in a Hawks uniform.

For that reason alone, the Hawks are one of the most intriguing teams this summer, but Risacher is not the only player or storyline worth tracking. Let's talk about the three things that I am watching closely this summer for the Hawks.

1. Can Kobe Bufkin show he can be the backup point guard this season?

Risacher is going to get a lot of the headlines for the Hawks this summer, but I think there is another storyline worth following just as much.

In case you have not heard, the Hawks traded guard Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans. While Trae Young is one of the best point guards and playmakers in the league, this team has a question mark now when it comes to having a secondary ball handler when Young is off the floor and no clear option right now at backup point guard. If the season started today, second year guard Kobe Bufkin would likely be the backup point guard. I think he could take over this role and do it well, but Bufkin has a case to be the top player to watch this summer.

Bufkin spent the majority of his rookie season either in the G-League or injured, but he flashed some serious two-way upside when he was on the court. Unless the Hawks make any more big moves, Bufkin might be relied upon to be the backup point guard of the team with Murray gone. Summer League is going to be a chance for him to show he is capable of doing that and I will be watching Bufkin on the offensive end the most. Bufkin's defensive capabilities showed up when he got playing time, but he still needed to work on his shooting. Bufkin could be a really good two-way player if his offense comes around.

2. How does Zaccharie Risacher look?

Summer League is known for producing massive overreactions to anything that high draft picks do and that is unlikely to change when Risacher takes the floor. I would caution anyone that watches to not have a big overreaction, good or bad, to what Risacher does this Summer.

It is still going very interesting to see Risacher in a Hawks uniform for the first time.

I am most interested to see what he does with the ball in his hands. One of the criticisms of Risacher throughout the draft process was that he was not very good on the ball and not much of a playmaker. He is praised for his defense and shooting, but I think he is going to have a chance to do things with the ball in his hands this summer.

3. Can either Mouhamed Gueye or Nikola Durisic make a case to be a contributor this season?

After Bufkin and Risacher, second-year forward Mouhamed Gueye and rookie Nikola Durisic figure to be two guys worth watching to see if they could possibly make a real contribution this season.

Gueye spent most of last season in the G-League or injured. Gueye got some playing time towards the end of last season and flashed his potential on both ends. It is still too early to say if Gueye could be part of the rotation this season, but this is going to be his opportunity to show that he is ready for a bigger role.

The Hawks traded into the second round of this year's NBA Draft to get Durisic and while it is not known whether he will be on the team this year, this is going to be his chance to show it. Durisic is a really good passer and creator on offense, but what he does without the ball in his hands is the big question. I will be interested to see his role this Summer for the Hawks.