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The Atlanta Hawks don't like to waste any roster space.
Teams aren't actually required to fill all three two-way slots. Most do, of course, but they often treat them as filler. Use them or lose them.
When injuries inevitably take place over the course of an 82-game season, it's always an intelligent plan to have readily-available guys to jump into meaningful action, even in the depths of a roster. Two-way players - especially when they land with the Hawks - usually find themselves on the court, in some capacity, by midseason.
It's never a good thing to be dependent on those guys, but using one of the open spots on a guy like Jalen Wilson is smart, as minimal as it may be.
Wilson is brings a new level of experience to Hawks' two-way group
He's spent the last three seasons in the Brooklyn Nets' nightly rotation after being drafted there in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Averaging north of seven points and two rebounds per game across three seasons, Wilson quickly carved out an important role with his former team. Second-round picks don't usually face immediate rotation expectations, but he did, and for the most part - he delivered.
His efficiency suffered last season, and with the Nets heading in a fresh direction with some of their newly-acquired young talent, they opted to let Wilson walk. Despite some of his struggles over the last year, many believed he'd still be picked up on a cheap standard deal, whether it was from Brooklyn or some other team.
For the Hawks to be able to land him on a two-way contract - where he'll split time with both the main ball club and the College Park Skyhawks - they're getting undeniable value in the deepest part of their roster structure.
Hawks have a quality track record with two-way guys over the years
No recent superstar has come out of a two-way contract with Atlanta, but they've routinely shown up when it's mattered most.
Take Christian Koloko, for example. When the Hawks were without each of their top two centers for a short period of time last season, they threw Koloko into the lineup, and over an important stretch of regular season games - he came through.
Sometimes, if they take advantage of the opportunity, they can earn themselves a standard contract.
Keaton Wallace did it. Caleb Houstan did it. There's good reason to believe Jalen Wilson could be next in line. He just has to not let a moment go to waste.
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This article was originally published on soaringdownsouth.com as Hawks continue impressive two-way utilization with Jalen Wilson signing.
