On Monday evening, the Atlanta Hawks announced yet another late season roster move, signing wing Dylan Windler to a two-way contract. Last week, the Hawks converted guard Trent Forrest’s two-way contract to a standard NBA deal, releasing veteran Patty Mills to make room for the Florida State product.
Hawks Sign Dylan Windler to Two-Way Contract
Selected 26th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2019 NBA Draft, 27-year-old wing Dylan Windler entered the NBA as a promising 3-point threat. A four-year player at Belmont, Windler shot 40.6 percent from 3 over the course of his college career. Averaging 19.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per across his final two seasons, he led the Bruins to an NCAA Tournament appearance as a senior.
Unfortunately for Windler, a lower leg stress reaction caused him to miss what would have been his rookie season. After undergoing surgery to repair the nagging injury, he returned to the court for the Cavaliers’ 2020-21 campaign. However, during his rookie debut, Windler broke his left wrist and was sidelined for a month.
Windler did have a solid showing from mid-January to mid-March once he returned. The Indiana native averaged 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in 19.2 minutes per game (23 games), shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from 3. His best game during that stretch came against the Atlanta Hawks. In 22 minutes, Windler filled up the box score while scoring a season-high 15 points on 5-6 shooting from 3. Cleveland defeated the Hawks, 112-111.
Injuries Piling Up
Despite his career showing promise, Dylan Windler was sidelined by another injury midway through the 2020-21 season.
Then, citing ongoing patella tendinopathy concerns, he opted to have yet another season-ending surgery. Windler still wasn’t out of Cleveland’s plans though. Cavs head coach JB Bickerstaff even named him as a potential starter ahead of the 2022-23 season.
That wouldn’t be his fate, as a significant ankle injury caused him to miss even more time. Cleveland was forced to look at other options. When his rookie contract ended, he had played 637 minutes on G League assignment to 982 minutes with the Cavs.
Last offseason, Windler received another opportunity to establish himself. Initially signing a two-way contract with the New York Knicks in July, his deal was converted to a standard contract in October. However, he was waived in mid-December in order to make room for veteran Taj Gibson.
The Los Angeles Lakers then signed him to a two-way contract in early January. In March, they released Windler in order to sign Harry Giles III, a popular player within the NBA fraternity.
Playing just 35 minutes combined in his time with the Knicks and Lakers, Windler went 5-11 from the field and 5-10 from 3, and dished out seven assists.
What Dylan Windler Brings to the Hawks
It’s worth noting that Dylan Windler may make an impact whether on a one-year or two-year contract. To that point, his age and strengths suggest the Atlanta Hawks would be willing to sign him to a two-year contract. However, his injury history is uninspiring enough to believe he’s on a ‘prove it’ deal.
In the immediate future, Windler could legitimately hear the Hawks calling his number. After all, Atlanta has been decimated by injuries throughout the season. At the very least, Windler is a serviceable body.
As the season wears on, and the 2024 NBA Playoff picture becomes clearer, Windler may even play substantial minutes. They may not be meaningful minutes though. More to the point, if the Hawks are out of playoff contention, a likely course of action is having several rotation players sit out in order to preserve their health.
In the big picture, his play— in G League games, NBA games, and practice alike —could make him a candidate for a standard NBA contract. NBA teams aren’t averse to adding cheap talent, and the Hawks are one of the more salary-conscious franchises. To that point, extension talks for breakout star Jalen Johnson are coming up. Atlanta is already trying to relieve their future salary cap burden in anticipation of that.
