The Atlanta Hawks had a lot of priming, young players lined up to play in the NBA2K25 Las Vegas Summer League. Kobe Bufkin, Nikola Djurisic, and 2024 first-overall pick Zacharie Risacher headlined an exciting roster. However, just like during the 2023-24 regular campaign, injuries took a toll on the SL Hawks. These injuries gave more opportunities to players like Keaton Wallace, who signed a two-way contract with Atlanta after the first game, to showcase their skills.
Injury Scares Continue for Bufkin
Bufkin did not see much action with the Hawks until late last season. He missed a lot of time with a thumb injury and spent most of the season playing with the College Park Skyhawks. Bufkin’s point-of-attack defense stood out immediately in the final weeks of last season, but injuries denied him a chance of consistent playing time with the main squad.
Unfortunately for Bufkin, he suffered a right shoulder subluxation in practice within a week before Atlanta started its summer league (SL) action. While he is expected to be ready for the 2024-25 campaign, the experience would have been valuable for Bufkin because he is likely to take over the backup point guard role this season. The 15th pick in the 2023 NBA draft was slated to start at point guard for the Hawks in Las Vegas and be a steadying offensive presence, as he also competed in last year’s SL.
Instead, Atlanta went 0-5 in SL and consistently struggled to generate efficient halfcourt offense. The Hawks averaged 18.6 turnovers and assists per game. They relied on heavy ball pressure from guards Wallace and Jarkel Joiner to make opposing guards uncomfortable, leading to turnovers and easy fastbreak points in transition. Atlanta also did not take care of business from the charity stripe, ranking 28th with a 67.7 free-throw percentage.
Hawks Rookies’ Summer League Cut Short
Risacher was not bothered by the pressure that comes with being the first pick in the NBA draft. The French wing finished with 18 points and five rebounds in his debut. He showcased his effectiveness from beyond the arc in the halfcourt and finished with authority on the break.
One concern surrounding Risacher before the draft was the low volume of threes attempted. He only shot 3.4 triples per game with JL Bourg in last year’s EuroCup but hit them at a 56% clip. Risacher silenced those doubts through two games in Las Vegas, averaging eight attempts from downtown. He only played in the first two games after suffering a right quad contusion against the San Antonio Spurs. Risacher projects to play a sizeable rotation role, or even start at small forward, for a team trying to compete for the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how Head Coach Quin Snyder utilizes the 19-year-old wing.
Djurisic flashed his slashing ability and handle with a powerful slam in traffic against the Washington Wizards after just a few minutes into his SL debut. With the injury to Bufkin, SL Head Coach Ronald Nored elected to start Djurisic, traditionally a two or three, at point guard. He turned the ball over in the pick-and-roll and needs to improve his perimeter shooting. If he can become a respectable three-point threat, Djurisic can punish closeouts with slashing to the rim. Unfortunately, he fractured his left foot in the first quarter of the second SL contest. The Hawks announced he had surgery and will update his status in November.
Keaton Wallace Steals the Spotlight
Wallace played for College Park last season in the G League. He is the older brother of Cason Wallace, who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Keaton Wallace’s role with the SL Hawks expanded when Djurisic went down with his foot injury. After he earned a two-way contract with Atlanta, Wallace delivered some stellar performances on both sides of the ball. In five games, he averaged 14.8 points and 2.2 steals per game. Wallace also shot 43.8% from deep on 6.4 attempts per contest. His screen navigation skills consistently stood out on defense, staying attached to his assignment. Wallace put a bow on his Las Vegas performance when he put up 23 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and three steals against the New York Knicks.
Risacher and Bufkin project to play big roles in the rotation to open the 2024-25 campaign. Atlanta is counting on its youth to support the roster as it attempts to build around Trae Young and Jalen Johnson this season.
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