Hawks' Malcolm Delaney: Will start Friday vs. Heat

Delaney will start at point guard Friday against the Heat, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Analysis:

With regular starting point guard Dennis Schroder suspended one game by the Hawks on Friday for failing to report to the team in a timely fashion following the All-Star break, Delaney will be on tap for his first career NBA start. The Euroleague pickup has been serviceable in a reserve role in his rookie season with averages of 5.9 points, 2.7 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per game, but he'll be in line for a substantial increase in playing time with Schroder out of the picture Friday. The Hawks lack any pure point guards on their roster behind Schroder and Delaney, so expect the 27-year-old to see at least 30 minutes, with swingmen Tim Hardaway and Kent Bazemore picking up any spare time behind him at the position. Coach Mike Budenholzer has already stated that Schroder will be available Saturday against the Magic, so Delaney is little more than a one-time punt-play option in DFS contests.