Hawks Announce Starters For Summer League Opener

The Hawks just announced the starting lineup for tonight's game against the Wizards.

Jun 28, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks draft picks Zaccharie Risacher (10) and Nikola Djurisic (7) poses for a photo at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Hawks' summer league opener is minutes away and the starting lineup is out.

Starting 🖐️

Nikola Đurišić
Zaccharie Risacher
Dylan Windler
Mouhamed Gueye
Rob Baker II

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) July 13, 2024

There really are not too many surprises in this lineup. Risacher was widely expected to start because of his draft pedigree and Gueye's size made him a likely candidate for the starting five. He can play as either a forward or center, so this lineup is going to be pretty big. Baker stands at 6'10 and Gueye stands at 6'11.

When our very own Jackson Caudell predicted the starting lineup, this is what it looked like:

G- Dylan Windler

G - Nikola Durisic

F- Zaccharie Risacher

F- Mouhamed Gueye

C - Nick Ongenda

Baker getting the start over Ongenda is interesting. Ongenda is the only true center on the roster, but I think it makes sense for the Hawks to see what they have in Gueye and Baker for this first game. Durisic getting the nod at guard is good because I think this is an excellent opportunity to show what he can do as a playmaker.

Windler's experience makes him a natural candidate for the second guard spot next to Durisic. His health has been the question in his career so far, but he should be able to show what he can do in the season opener.

Here's a breakdown of each of the players in the starting lineup:

Zaccharie Risacher (F, Jl St Bourg, France) - The first pick in the 2024 draft hardly needs much introduction. The 6'9 forward was taken at the top of the draft because of his shooting (38.7% from three last season on four attempts a game), off-ball movement and his defensive instincts both on and off the ball. It's practically guaranteed that he will be in Atlanta's rotation, if not the starting lineup, to begin the season. Summer League is an interesting context for him because the Hawks won't need him to be a offensive creator immediately. It is far more important that his immediately translatable skills - off-ball movement, shooting from range and taking on defensive assignments on the perimeter - are visible. There were concerns about his foot speed as a prospect, so one thing to watch for is how he reacts when guarding smaller, faster guards.

Nikola Durisic(F/G, Mega Basket, Serbia) -After averaging 14.4 points. 3.4 assists and 3 rebounds per game on 45/33/74 splits last season, the Hawks took Durisic in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. Their selection of Durisic indicates they believe they can develop him into a playmaking wing who can put pressure on the rim. His ability to drive and slash through a defense should translate well to Summer League while his passing ability is really interesting. It is not fully developed, but he can make some impressive passes while driving to the basket. The loss of Bufkin means that the team is short a ball-handler and distributor, giving Durisic the chance to show how much upside he has as a passer. I think his shot still needs some work, but he could land on the roster with a strong showing in Las Vegas.

Mo Gueye (F, Washington State, Senegal) - Gueye was selected by the Hawks in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft and received some playing time in College Park. Unfortunately, most of his year was wiped out due to a back injury and UCL sprain. That being said, he did cap off his season on the Hawks' roster and put up19 points with 9 rebounds and 5 stocks(steals and blocks) against Indiana in the Hawks' final game of the year. For Gueye, the Summer League season will be about showing his defensive upside. Even in his College Park games, he averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.8 steals. At 6'11, he can credibly play at center in a lot of lineups. Summer League is not the best context for big men, but him showing off his defensive upside and positive growth on offense should give him a chance to crack the Hawks' rotation. At the least, he will be a worthy development project for College Park.

Rob Baker II (F, Harvard, USA) - Baker joined the College Park Skyhawks after spending the 2022-23 season with the Osceola Magic and had a solid year in his third G-League season. Even though he played in a reduced role,he upped his points-per-game from 11.2 to 14.7 and increased both his three-point attempts and percentage to solid levels (34% on five attempts per game). His efficiency dropped, but he offers size, defense and some floor spacing as a wing. There is a chance he can stick with College Park since he was a useful player for them last season.

Dylan Windler (G/F, Belmont, USA) - Windler is the most experienced player on the roster, having already played four seasons in the G League. He's a 6'6 forward who is a standout rebounder, grabbing 10.2 rebounds per game. It especially shows up on defense where he pulled down 7.8 boards a game. He is a good defender, but the question is his three-point shot. He averaged 31% on seven attempts a game, but also shot 40.7% on five attempts a game in 2022-23. He's also only played 29 games across four seasons, so it will be interesting to see what he can do if he stays healthy. If he looks more like the 2022-23 version of himself from three-point range and continues to play good defense, there's a good chance he'll be in College Park.