The Atlanta Hawks have won [two games in a row.](https://soaringdownsouth.com/hawks-hot-streak-without-trae-young-sets-up-unlikely-playoff-run) With Trae Young still recovering from injury and players rotating in and out of the lineup, they have had to look deep into their rotation for steady contributions.
The depth has stood out. This has been the strongest asset towards keeping Atlanta afloat in the competitive Eastern Conference. The recent injuries, while unfortunate, have been sort of a blessing in disguise for others to develop their games.
Mo Gueye, Atlanta's third-year forward out of Washington State, has been a classic example of a player stepping up when needed. He has been [a pure impact player.](https://www.peachtreehoops.com/analysis/66384/atlanta-hawks-mouhamaed-mo-gueye-nba-video-analysis-breakdown-advanced-stats) Not everything he contributes to the game will show up on the stat sheet, but he is a fan-favorite for good reason.
Gueye is everything a defensive-minded team in the modern NBA could want out of a forward. His energy, quickness, and three-level scoring ability give him a unique profile compared to the other backup forwards on the roster.
With all of his strengths, why could his rotation spot be in jeopardy?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In a perfect world, Quin Snyder would be able to give quality minutes to all of his young players every night. I mean, there are plenty of deserving guys on the roster. How could a coach choose between Vit Krejci, Keaton Wallace, Mo Gueye, and Asa Newell for the final two spots in a 10-man rotation?
To the dismay of Hawks fans who believe in Mo Gueye's ability to contribute now, the answer could be obvious. When everyone, including Trae Young, is back healthy, the 9th and 10th men in the rotation will likely be Krejci and Wallace.
This does not mean Gueye will not be an important piece to the lineup, however, as injuries and matchup-dependent rotations exist. There may be nights where Snyder elects to go 11 or 12-deep, letting Gueye or Newell flourish against a bigger team.
Coming into the season, most would have expected Gueye to be firmly ahead of Krejci and Wallace in the lineup. He even started in 38 games last year after Jalen Johnson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
At the beginning of this season, however, Snyder elected to run a 9-man rotation with Keaton Wallace as the final guy. His responsibilities this year have been much higher than fans expected. Neither Gueye nor Vit Krejci saw the floor much during the first stretch of games.
As the season progressed, both Gueye and Krejci began to see more run, thanks to missed time from Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis. Gueye has had an awesome few weeks but it has been Krejci who has really stood out.
Pistol Vit has been on an absolute tear, earning himself a permanent spot in the rotation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nobody could possibly justify eliminating Krejci's minutes after his recent play. The fifth-year forward is averaging career-highs across the board, including an insane 49.3% from deep. His outside shooting and ability to defend multiple positions have been the key to Atlanta's recent success.
Krejci's standout play, however, has come with an unfortunate wrinkle. Mo Gueye has seen a rapid decrease in nightly minutes. This trend has been taking place for over a week, with him logging just 10 minutes against the Suns and 4 minutes against the Spurs.
> Vit is never falling out of the rotation.
>
> When everyone is healthy, he will still play valuable minutes off the bench.