The Atlanta Hawks have been playing some very good basketball lately, as evidenced by their run to the NBA Cup semifinals. Their level of play has been inconsistent at times, but the Hawks have shown that they can compete with any team on any night when they are clicking.

Now, as Atlanta jostles for position in the Eastern Conference standings, they could be looking to add some help for their bench. Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter is one name to watch as Atlanta pursues another backcourt option, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

“A quick note about another sneaky team in the East — the Atlanta Hawks are exploring the market for a low-cost backup option in their backcourt behind Trae Young and Dyson Daniels, sources said,” Siegel reported. “With the Hawks interested in adding backcourt depth during the back half of the season, Bulls guard Jevon Carter has popped up in multiple conversations pertaining to Atlanta.”

It’s ironic that the Hawks are pursuing Carter after the former Milwaukee Bucks contributor dropped a season-high 26 points in Atlanta’s 141-133 win over the Bulls on Thursday night. Carter was very efficient in that contest, shooting 9-for-15 from the floor and 7-for-11 from 3-point range.

The Hawks have won two games in a row to get back over .500 at 16-15. As it stands, the Hawks are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference as they battle to get into that top six and out of the play-in bracket.

What Jevon Carter would bring to the Hawks

The Hawks have a very good backcourt with Trae Young and Dyson Daniels, and they have a microwave scorer at guard off the bench in Bogdan Bogdanovic. However, they don’t have a reliable option as a backup point guard, which is a need that Carter would be able to fill for them.

As it stands, there is a massive burden on Young because of the lack of a steady backup at that spot. He handles that responsibility as well as anyone, but having another option could only help the Hawks. Carter has experience as a backup guard on good teams in playoff settings, and he has the kind of skill set that will prevent him from getting picked on in a playoff series.

The shooting can come and go with Carter, as the Hawks saw firsthand during his 26-point explosion on Thursday night. However, Carter’s defense is a major asset for whatever team he is on. He is on the smaller side at just 6-foot-1, but Carter competes on the defensive end no matter who is in front of him.

The Hawks have tried multiple options at backup point guard this season, but none of them have stuck as a solid option behind Young in the rotation. The addition of someone like Carter via a trade, which would likely be inexpensive, would give them even more depth as they push for a playoff spot this season.