According to Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk, the team is most likely to hang on to their first-round pick before Wednesday’s NBA Draft and select sixth overall. Schlenk also said that the least likely thing they do is trade up in the lottery.
"The biggest probability is we're staying where we are."
— Travis Schlenk on the Hawks' No. 6 pick
Says the lowest possibility is trading up.
— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) November 16, 2020
Like every general manager leading up to the draft, Schlenk is evaluating all of his possibilities. As the GM in Atlanta, he has run things extremely close to the vest throughout his tenure. Nothing leaks unless he wants it to.
A couple of years ago, nobody saw the Hawks trading back in the draft for Trae Young. Schlenk could have something like that up his sleeve again this year. However, it doesn’t appear like they have anything set in stone quite yet.
Rumors have been running rampant for weeks regarding the Hawks ownership putting pressure on Schlenk and head coach Lloyd Pierce to make the playoffs this season. Who knows how much of that is really true. I would imagine Pierce is much more on the hot seat than Schlenk, who has done a wonderful job setting up the organization for future success. However, general managers that oversee rebuilds aren’t always rewarded with witnessing the final product. This could very well be Schlenk’s last season in Atlanta if ownership’s demands aren’t met, which means anything could happen leading up to Wednesday’s draft.
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