Hawks Notes: Babbitt, Dedmon, Tanking

The Hawks were in the bottom half of the league in three-point shooting last season, but the team’s front office believes the addition of Luke Babbitt will help them improve in that area, as KL Chouinard of NBA.com relays.

“Luke is a proven veteran and adds another experienced player to our locker room,” GM Travis Schlenk said of Babbitt. “He is one of the premier long-range shooting big men in the league, has played a variety of roles over his career and will contribute to our team.”

Babbitt, who inked a one-year deal with Atlanta last week, said he’s excited to play under coach Mike Budenholzer.

“When I got the call, the first thing I thought of was Coach Bud. I’ve always respected what he did from afar,” Babbitt said. “I’m really excited to play for him and be with this young group of guys.”

Here’s more from Atlanta:

• Babbitt continued to praise the Hawks‘ system, citing the ball movement and the unselfishness in how the players operate on the floor, as KL Chouinard passes along in the same piece. The small forward believes he can assist the team’s playmakers with his ability to space the floor. “Dennis [Schroder] and (Kent Bazemore], they’re the attackers on this team,” Babbitt said. “It’s something I’m really looking forward to this season: creating space and opportunities for them.”
• Atlanta pried Dewayne Dedmon away the from the Spurs in free agency and Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders believes the signing could have major upside. Dedmon, who’s on a two-year, $14MM deal, didn’t play basketball until he was a junior in college, meaning he only has been on the court for slightly over seven years.
• While the Hawks will likely take a step back this season, tanking is something that interests coach Budenholzer, Grizzard writes in the same piece. The scribe adds that the goal of the front office is to retool while remaining competitive.