The Hawks have two first-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, and it’s unclear what Onsi Saleh and the new President of Basketball Operations intend to do with those assets.
Might they package them to move up in the first round? They could package one or both for a player too, and of course, they could stand pat and make the 13th and 22nd picks as well.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has them doing the last bit, bolstering the front court and perimeter in the form of towering big man Thomas Sorber out of Georgetown and Israeli guard Ben Saraf.
“The Hawks need a long-term answer at center, at the very least to complement Onyeka Okongwu. Okongwu’s troubles with bigger centers are well-documented, as he’s not overly large for the position at 6-8 without a ton of length. Sorber, on the other hand, is just a massive body. He’s fluid and coordinated at 6-9 to 6-10, but moreover possesses a mammoth wingspan that I wouldn’t be stunned to see land in the 7-4 range. His frame is massive with broad shoulders. What I like most about Sorber for Atlanta, assuming the team decides to continue with Trae Young moving forward given that he is extension-eligible this offseason, is that he can pass and play out of short-roll situations, which would make it even harder to blitz ballhandlers against Young. I love what the Hawks are building with big wings like Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels. This would potentially solve another issue toward being truly competitive with Young as the focal point.”
If the play-in was any indication, the Hawks have to get better in the frontcourt. Larry Nance, Jalen Johnson, and Clint Capela were dealing with injuries, but there’s no guarantee that Nance or Capela will be back in 2025, certainly not the latter.
I’m a big believer in Onyeka Okongwu, but having a towering big man coming off the bench in the minutes when OO is off the floor is a need for this Hawks team. One that can play in the pick and roll with Trae Young is important too.
“Saraf is on Ulm in Germany with Essengue and is a bit more decorated than his French teammate. He won MVP of the Under-18 European Championships this past summer while putting together one of the best scoring performances in the event’s history. Since then, he’s been a bit up and down. He’s averaging 12.1 points and 4.3 assists this season while shooting 45 percent from the field because he’s excellent with his gathers on drives and sharp with his midrange game, but he also has games when he’ll miss several shots and look out of sorts if teams fight to take away his left hand. He’s extremely dominant on that wing, and he needs to continue adding to his overall handle package. But with the Hawks having to deal with the Caris LeVert free-agency situation this summer, a developmental combo guard could make sense if they struggle to buy into Kobe Bufkin after an injury-riddled first two seasons.”
The Hawks have been looking for a secondary ball handler with Trae Young off the court. The vision for Kobe Bufkin was clear, but injuries have derailed his career thus far, and I’m not sure if the club should count on him ever turning into a productive piece. The approach with the 22nd pick is difficult because at this point in the first round, there’s always something wrong with prospects. It’s almost like taking a shot in the dark.
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