Hawks Roundtable: What role will rookies Taurean Prince and DeAndre Bembry play on the team next season?

The Atlanta Hawks spent a pair of first round picks on a couple of wing players in the 2016 NBA Draft. What role will Taurean Prince and DeAndre Bembrey play next season? If you have missed any of our previous roundtable discussions you can find them all here in this StoryStream.

What role will rookies Taurean Prince and DeAndre Bembry play on the team next season?

(Kris Willis): Given the current roster situation, I think it is unlikely that either rookie opens the season in the starting rotation. However, it is a long season and both could eventually get an opportunity to stick. Between the two, I think Taurean Prince has the best chance to play meaningful minutes this season but I could see both being key pieces for the team as soon as next season. Barring an unforeseen trade, it could be difficult for both to make their mark this season.

(Brad Rowland): By the end of the year, one of the rookies could crack the rotation, but in the beginning, I see a fringe role. Mike Budenholzer famously deploys a deep bench at times during the regular season, which should open up some opportunities for both Price and Bembry. Still, there are at least three wings (Bazemore, Korver, Sefolosha) that are solidly ahead of both first-year guys as the season opens, and I expect Atlanta to give Tim Hardaway Jr. a relatively long leash as well. I’m a fan of both rookies, but expectations for immediate impact should be greatly tempered based on what we know about Mike Budenholzer’s coaching style and the general production of rookies.

(Harry Lyles): Their play early in the season will be key in how much burn they get later on in the year. I could see Prince having a bigger impact early than Bembry, but I wouldn’t be surprised by great success from either. With that said, the NBA game is another beast, and there’s going to be some ugly moments for both where they’ll have to learn. It goes for every NBA rookie, and these guys will be no different. But I think we can expect a spark off the bench every now and then from either of them, but not as frequent as any of us would like.

(Josh Lane): I see them fighting for a primary role in the bench rotation. I do not think they are starting day 1.

(Chris Herbert): Both players come with the draft tag of “NBA ready”, so I believe they will both see minutes this season. How many minutes? Probably not a ton. The Hawks have a plethora of forwards in Millsap, Sefolosha, Scott, Muscala, and Humphries. Fighting for minutes against productive veterans like these will be tough. Some stints in the D-League are inevitable. I would like to see Prince and Bembry play in some small ball lineups this season as their positional versatility is intriguing.

(Thomas Jenkins): I’m sure we’ll see them both play, although I doubt it will be for substantial minutes unless there are some serious injuries. This is a situation where the Hawks would benefit from having a D-League team, although that’s perhaps a separate issue. Personally, I’d love to see these two play as much as would be healthy for the team. Their development has to be a priority for the Hawks, and their futures are critical for the team’s long-term prospects.

(Preston Mott): I really don't see them having much of a role if any this upcoming season. Barring injuries, it's going to be hard for them to get playing time over Korver, THJ, Thabo, and Bazemore. They may get garbage minutes from time to time, similar to what we saw with Edy last season, but as far as cracking the regular rotation--I just don't see it.