While the Hawks are seemingly set at the point guard position with Trae Young and Jeremy Lin on the roster, they still only have two floor generals under contract. Having a third point guard is crucial in today’s NBA, and while Tyler Dorsey may spell some minutes at the 1, he has proven to be more of a shoot-first player. Then consider that Jeremy Lin may or may not be able to start the season after recovering from injury, and the Hawks have themselves a need, albeit a small one.
The Hawks should turn to a young, special player who still has a ton of potential in Tyler Ulis. The Kentucky product fell to the second round due to his size, and now the Phoenix Suns have given up on him to the displeasure of his good friend and now former teammate Devin Booker. The Hawks already have one undersized point guard in Tare Young, but Ulis is just 5’10”, 150 pounds. There is no getting around the fact that this makes him a liability at times.
However, if Ulis had the size, he easily has the talent to start in this league. If he can find his stroke from his college days, it could help him overcome his shorter stature. Ulis was a career 37% shooter from beyond the arc but has only mustered a 28% percentage in the NBA. Plain and simple, Ulis has disappointed a bit since entering the league, and the Suns parting ways with him after two seasons reflects that.
Ulis is still just 22-years old and could be had for nickels on the dime. He could be a great buy-low for the Hawks to try to develop behind Trae Young who might end up seeing a bigger role if Jeremy Lin’s injury is worse than feared or he plays well enough to warrant a deadline deal.
Ulis would benefit from playing under a coach known for developing young talent and a change of scenery. It would be great to see Travis Schlenk make that happen.