Corey Kispert was a mid-season addition for the Atlanta Hawks last season, as he was part of the Trae Young trade that sent him to the Washington Wizards. It was an up-and-down 39 games for Kispert, and he saw his minutes decrease toward the end of the season and into the playoffs.
Coming into this season, it looks like he may be an end-of-bench guy for the Hawks, and if they need offense, he’ll be called upon.
During the preseason, Kispert mentioned how having a full offseason and training camp with
the team was big for him coming into his second year.
“It’s been really great; I feel much more comfortable, feel more like myself, and looking forward to hitting the ground running,” Kispert said.
He showed how beneficial it was at times during the preseason, as he was able to play within the flow of the offense and get some good shots from the perimeter. He even showed an effort to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. At times, he did struggle on offense, and that would be the one concerning thing about him, as well as his defense.
Kispert lost most of his minutes down the stretch of last season probably because of his defense, and Quin Snyder was looking to shorten his rotation going into the playoffs.
With the additions of Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins, it’s hard to see when he Kispert could truly get minutes on the floor. That was evident in the Hawks’ preseason finale against the Dallas Mavericks, where it resembled more of a dress rehersal for the team. Dort and Wiggins led the bench in minutes, and Kispert didn’t see time on the floor until late in the game.
For Kispert, it will most likely take someone getting in foul trouble or an injury for him to see real minutes. Nonetheless, he has to be ready when his name is called, and the hope is that he can make an impact when he’s on the floor.
The good news is that he feels better coming into the season, and that should help him throughout the season. Kispert’s still one of the better 3-point shooters on the team, and if he can show some consistency on defense, he could make a case for possibly sliding into the rotation.
It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for him as the season goes on.
