An exciting offseason for the Atlanta Hawks is set to begin on June 26th, when Landry Fields and company will be on the clock with the #1 overall pick.
As of now, who the Hawks take with the pick remains a guessing game. Alex Sarr is the odds on favorite to be selected first. Zaccharie Risacher has been mocked to Atlanta just as often as Sarr, and the Hawks appear to have an affinity for UConn center Donovan Clingan, who projects as the best defensive player in the draft, an area in which the Hawks have struggled for years.
Trading down has also been mentioned as a possibility, but at his latest press conference, Landry Fields seemed to shut down much of that noise by saying, “With where we’re at right now, we will pick #1.”
“With where we’re at right now, we will pick #1”
Landry Fields speaking at his predraft media availability. Says the @ATLHawks won’t say no to calls but feel very good about keeping the top pick. pic.twitter.com/8aElDBsVxM
— Luke Hetrick (@LHSportsTV) June 17, 2024
What that means is up for interpretation. The Hawks could always be blown away with a trade package, but that clearly hasn’t happened yet, and judging by Fields’ comments, he doesn’t seem to think they will be, which is far from a bombshell.
This is widely regarded as one of the worst NBA draft classes in recent memory. Having the #1 pick this year is both a blessing and a curse. It’s never a bad thing to get the pick of the litter, but there aren’t many GMs envious of the position Landry Fields finds himself in. Which is why it feels unlikely another team offers up a king’s ransom for the Hawks pick.
The #1 overall selection offers a glimmer of hope to an organization that desperately needed something to go its way. Nail it, and the Hawks could find themselves contending in the Eastern Conference again as early as next season. Miss on it, and Landry Fields run as Atlanta’s GM will go down as quick and unmemorable.
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Photo: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire
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