Why He Fits The Hawks
For the most part, Davis’s tools fit the way that Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has been using Onyeka Okongwu and Kristaps Porzingis.
Offense
Davis is able to score from all three levels, operate as an initiator or lob threat in the pick-and-roll, and be a playmaker inside of the arc. He can handle the ball and make long outlet passes, making him a dynamic player in the open court as well. His quick decision-making, which highlights his IQ, doesn’t get talked about enough.
The biggest difference will be that Davis isn’t as trigger-happy from long range. At the same time, the Hawks aren’t a team that gets to the charity stripe much, ranking 29th in free-throw attempt rate (22.9%). To that point, while Okongwu’s averaging 2.7 free-throw attempts per game this season, Davis has averaged 7.0 free-throw attempts per game for his career.
Defense
At the other end, Davis is capable of protecting the paint and guarding out in space. Indeed, he’s always been one of the more fluid big men in the NBA in spite of his length. As a shot-blocker, his timing and technique may stand out more than his physical gifts, which is saying something.
Rebounds
Davis’s height and easy athleticism definitely help him on the defensive boards too, though his unmitigated desire to pull down the boards makes the biggest difference. It’s worth mentioning that Atlanta ranks 22nd in defensive rebound percent (73.4).
He’s also a machine on the offensive glass. In fact, Davis ranks 13th in career offensive rebounds (2,148). That’s notably over 100 more than Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (2,084), over 200 more than New York Knicks forward-center Karl-Anthony Towns (1,945), and over 300 more than Sacramento Kings big man Domantas Sabonis (1,806). Keeping that in mind, the Hawks rank 25th not only in total rebounds (42.2) but in offensive rebounds (10.0) per game.
