2023-24 Atlanta Hawks player review: Dylan Windler

It’s intriguing you see a 27-year-old understudy on a two-way agreement, however Dylan Windler has never entirely strolled the typical NBA vocation way. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Windler in 2019 with the 26th overall pick out of Belmont. He spent the majority of his rookie contract switching between the Cavaliers and the Canton Charge, their G League affiliate, following an injury that ended his season in rookie year. After two-way stints with the Knicks and Lakers earlier this season, the Hawks signed Trent Forrest to a standard contract (after Forrest had played in all 50 games and was no longer eligible). Windler is a rare example of the “3-and-rebounding” wing who is best known for grabbing a record 30 rebounds in a game against the South Bay Lakers. Windler was acquired by the Hawks in March as additional wing depth during their postseason stretch run. He played in six games, averaging five points and two rebounds per game and shooting 47% from three in 12 minutes per game. For a man the size of a wing who typically floats close to the three-point line, Windler’s hops and unrelenting effort on the glass are unusual. In fact, he looks like a fringe player in the league and has an overall athletic build comparable to that of the NBA. When defending in the paint and sliding his feet on defense, he makes good use of his 6-foot-7 frame and 6-foot-11 wingspan. Windler is many times unjustifiably named as an unadulterated catch-and-shoot three-point shooter, yet he has a utilitarian handle to free him some space around the circular segment. Because he could move the ball when transitioning into a side action, he was a good fit for head coach Quin Snyder’s motion offense. He showed nice awareness at this point to ghost a drag screen and cut for a straightforward score. He stated, “I came into it with an open mind,” when discussing the process of joining the Hawks organization in the middle of the season during exit interviews. merely attempting to comply with their directives. Came in, played a few games, and gave me an opportunity. The opportunity then presented itself, and I was able to play some games and get some decent minutes off the bench. Felt like I had the option to show a smidgen of how I can help this time and how I can help. shooting, slamming the glass, and serving as the team’s energy and glue. Additionally, I anticipate another opportunity to see where I can take it. “A ton of groups have comparable ideas, yet there’s dependably various names for stuff,” he went on about his past stops to Atlanta this previous season. “Furthermore, you need to recall how stuff affects various activities. So that part requires time — two or three weeks you sort of get adjusted into the framework. Mentor [Snyder has] got an alternate sort of hostile framework that I appear to like, I appreciate playing in. The idea of flow. I got changed in accordance with that fast. I really didn’t do anything else the first couple of weeks. Just concentrate on the offense and see where I fit in. When discussing his game and the atmosphere in Atlanta, Windler made the observation, “What I like to do is get a lot of shots up, play free, and play in that flow motion.” “It’s a sound representative for [Snyder]. I believe he’s an extraordinary mentor, yet he truly gives his players the opportunity to play the game like they ought to, similar to they would need to. His work is excellent. The stream offense places me in a ton of extraordinary positions. to be able to shoot, catch, and shoot, as well as make quick decisions. As his two-way contract eligibility ended this season, Windler will now be an unrestricted free agent. He might be brought back on a veteran minimum deal to continue providing this type of player’s size and shooting to a team that desperately needs him.