Hawks are learning a Nickeil Alexander-Walker lesson that Wolves fans knew all along

Nickeil Alexander-Walker's void has been felt amid a sluggish 4-5 start for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, and Rob Dillingham haven't fully been able to bridge the game so far.

However, Alexander-Walker is having a career season with his new team, the Atlanta Hawks. NAW is averaging 31 minutes, 17.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.0 stocks. Since Trae Young went down with an injury, he has been a fixture of the starting lineup and is averaging 19 points. 

Alexander-Walker has done this while remaining a highly impactful defender. The Hawks are quickly learning how valuable Alexander-Walker's all-around skill set is and how much it leads to winning. This is something Wolves fans are very familiar with. 

Alexander-Walker's exceptional all-around skill set leads to winning

While it's fair to be surprised by just how good NAW has been, Wolves fans are certainly aware of his well-rounded impact. Alexander-Walker found himself in Minnesota at the 2023 deadline. He was an add-on piece in the Mike Conley trade. The Virginia Tech product had some promise as a former first-round pick, but was off to a slow start. Nevertheless, Alexander-Walker found his role with the Timberwolves and rejuvenated his career.

Alexander-Walker's elite on-ball defense, connective playmaking, secondary creation, and spot-up shooting make him a quintessential role player. The Hawks are getting all this with a ton of extra shot creation juice from NAW. His 17.3 points, 3.3 assists, and 24.3 usage rate are all career highs. It's not a coincidence that his four highest scoring games have all led to wins for the 4-4 Hawks.

Signing a four-year $60 million contract compared to being "tossed into" a trade are completely different scenarios. However, it also shows that Alexander-Walker rises to the occasion with a bigger role. He got a bigger role when he signed with the Hawks in the first case, but this role further expanded after Young went down with an injury. Alexander-Walker's ability to step up and provide whatever the team needs him to is truly remarkable. 

NAW is also constantly improving. Of course, his career season thus far with the Hawks is evidence of that. But likewise, he upped his scoring average each season with the Wolves. Alexander-Walker was a linchpin of the Wolves' success, and he is known as even more important to the Hawks. As Atlanta navigates this stretch, without Trae, NAW will be more important than ever. It's fair to expect his stellar impact to continue. 

Ultimately, while Wolves fans greatly miss Alexander-Walker, it's nice to see that he's thriving with the Hawks.