The Atlanta Hawks went into the NBA draft lottery hoping to land the 1st pick as they had 10.5% chance. Unfortunately, to the behest of the entire organization and the fan base, the Hawks’ pick landed 8th, and the Dallas Mavericks’ pick fell to 10th. While it may be the most Atlanta thing ever, this is not the end of the world. We have seen what general manager Travis Schlenk can do with late first round picks (John Collins, Kevin Huerter), and now he has two in the top ten.
8th overall- Duke G/F Cameron ReddishÂ
The Hawks select Duke wingman Cam Reddish, who was overshadowed by his fellow teammates Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett, both of whom will be top-5 selections. Reddish, although he fell into the background a bit, showcases all the tools to thrive in the NBA. He’s a long wing at 6’8″ that can be a plus defender, shoots the ball excellently from everywhere on the floor, and is explosive. Alongside the Atlanta Hawks core of Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, and John Collins, Reddish looks like an ideal fit.
In 36 games Reddish averaged 13.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 29.7 minutes per game.
10th overall- Oregon C Bol BolÂ
We all know the story about his injuries, but this would be a pure upside pick; which Travis Schlenk has been known for. Bol has size that cannot be taught but carries a unique skill set with his 7’3″ build. He can handle the ball like the guard and shoot the ball from the outside, although he has deficiencies on the defensive end. Bol is a talented stretch five that would fit into the mold of what the Hawks like to see from that position.
With DeWayne Dedmon becoming an unrestricted free agent and Alex Len entering the final year of his deal, the Hawks need to find a long-term solution at center. Before you dismiss the thought of Bol on the Hawks, remember that this team remains in the rebuilding stage and can afford to take gambles.
In 9 games, Bol averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game.
The Atlanta Hawks trade SG Kent Bazemore to the Milwaukee Bucks for Tony Snell and the 30th overall selectionÂ
30th overall- USC G/F Kevin Porter Jr.Â
The Atlanta Hawks need to find players that have that dog in them. Porter is an aggressive scorer who patterns his game after James Harden. Although he isn’t as talented as Harden yet, Porter has all the time in the world to develop as he recently turned 19. With this new Hawks staff, Kevin Porter Jr. could develop into a worthwhile contributor.
In 21 games, Porter averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 22.1 minutes per game
The Atlanta Hawks trade their 35th selection to the Philadelphia 76ers for a future 2nd and their 41st and 42nd selections to the New York Knicks for G Frank Ntilikina
Here me out here. Frank Ntilikina has immense defensive potential and could be brought in to mask Trae Young and Kevin Huerter’s deficiencies on the defensive end. The young guard can effectively defend 1-3, despite being a liability offensively.
Ntilikina and Deandre’ Bembry switching on defense would be the best defense the Hawks have seen in years. Adding in the fact that Atlanta is devoted to developing young players; Ntilikina could be the future backup PG and primary defender off the bench. This is the perfect example of “another man’s trash is another man’s treasure” situation for the rebuilding Hawks.