The Atlanta Hawks cashed in their chips on guard Dejounte Murray this summer, not entire dissimilar to what the Wolves did with Rudy Gobert.
As such, the Trae Young-led squad is looking to add wins, and preferably immediately after making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.
Therefore, we probably shouldn't expect to see their rookies get a ton of burn, unless injuries or poor play by the primary rotation sets in.
AJ Griffin (Wing | No. 16 Overall)
A strong offensive wing who can shoot and has substantial two-way upside. Definite starting caliber upside.
Tyrese Martin (Wing | No. 51 overall)
Floor-spacer who plays bigger than his 6-foot-6 size, who could project as a long-term power forward in the league.
Martin isn't likely to see a ton of burn with a loaded front-line ahead of him in the rotation. John Collins, Onyeka Okongwu, Clint Capela, De'Andre Hunter, Jalen Johnson, Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless, and Griffin are all players who cover his two potential roles, suggesting Martin will spend considerable time in the G League or on the Hawks bench.
Griffin is in a bit of a better situation due to draft position and overall upside. You can easily make an argument that the Hawks would be willing to sacrifice minutes from both Harkless and Holiday to hand to Griffin to accelerate his development.
However, that doesn't mean the rook is going to step into a solidified role, now that Murray is going to take up the vast majority of minutes at the two-spot, forcing Bogdan Bogdanović up to the three, where Griffin is expected to get most of his minutes.
Overall, it's fair to say Griffin stands a better chance at getting burn than Martin, but nothing is set in stone in regards to given opportunities. Griffin has competition, and will have to earn extended run by outplaying his teammates.
For Griffin to crack the rotation, he'll need to embrace a floor-spacing role, and compete defensively, using his 225-pound frame to switch onto bigger defenders, and offer versatility. Fortunately for Griffin, he moves well and had one of the easiest-looking strokes in college basketball, which should offer him a chance.
Griffin is a player who - in a few years - could look like a fully-fledged starter. It's not even out of realm of possibility that he enters NBA All-Star chatter if he realizes his potential.
His 6-foot-6 stature, combined with his comfort level in having the ball in his hands, offers long-term creation upside. His jumper should be a weapon right from the start and only advance further as he ages. He hit 44.7% from range in college, on 159 attempts. That's a big enough sample size to be encouraged by his future.
Griffin's swing skill is his defense. At Duke he looked overwhelmed at times, and flat out had periods where he gave up, and that's not going to fly in the NBA. With the right training, and enough reps, the Hawks are hoping he wakes up and understands the physical advantage he has, and makes use of it.
For Martin, it's all about finding a role that makes him valuable. He shot 43% from range last season while pulling down 7.5 rebounds. That's not a bad start, as more teams are looking for players who can mix it up inside and out. For Martin, embracing the role of being a floor-spacing glass-cleaner could mean the difference between a career in the NBA or overseas.
Of course, being 6-foot-6 could have its disadvantages given the size and athleticism seen in the NBA, but no one ever said making it was going to be easy.
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Morten has managed to create a stable career for himself, launching Denmark's first weekly NBA radio show, and co-hosting a weekly NBA TV show. He's a seasoned basketball analyst and is experienced covering the league and its upcoming prospects.