Who The Atlanta Hawks Should Target In The 2018 NBA Draft


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After 10 consecutive postseason appearances, the Atlanta Hawks elected to engage in a full-blown rebuild, beginning with the 2017-2018 campaign. While the decision to sign Dwight Howard (and let Al Horford slip away to Boston) during the summer of 2016 could be seen as the starting point for where the team currently resides, new general manager Travis Schlenk elected to pull the plug completely during the summer of 2017, choosing not to offer Paul Millsap a contract and pursuing future-facing maneuvers that have helped to stock Atlanta’s cupboard of future assets.

The Hawks have a nice array of NBA Draft capital as a result, with four picks in the 2018 draft and additional selections moving forward. However, the team’s current roster has only a few building blocks (John Collins and Taurean Prince) to be comfortable with and that provides something of a blank canvas for Schlenk in advance of June 21.

Atlanta’s selections, arriving at No. 3, No. 19, No. 30 and No. 34, should provide ample opportunity to improve the standing of the roster, though, and there is more attention on the Hawks in the draft than at any point since the selection of Al Horford (also at third overall) in 2007. Here are a few options that may make sense for the Hawks, taking into account the team’s very wide range of outcomes.

  • Marvin Bagley III – C/PF, Duke – With Deandre Ayton likely off the board, Bagley is most talented offensive option of the big men available and that could be attractive to Atlanta, especially with very little in the way of proven scorers already on board. There are big-time defensive questions, especially in rim protection, but comparisons to Amar’e Stoudemire make some sense. Bagley is a top-five prospect for a reason, even if he isn’t a perfect fit with the Hawks.
  • Troy Brown – SF, Oregon – If the Hawks go with a big man at the top of the draft, Brown would slot in nicely at No. 19 overall. He plays with an impressive basketball IQ, is a good passer and generally performs well across the board. His big question mark arrives with the jump shot but Brown has a five-star pedigree and checks enough boxes to suggest he’s a top-20 player in the class.
  • Luka Doncic – SF/PG, Slovenia – Doncic is my No. 1 overall prospect but there is some buzz that he could be available when the Hawks pick at No. 3 overall. That would be a heist for Atlanta. Doncic’s ceiling is up for debate but he is incredibly “safe” by prospect standards, performing at an off-the-charts level in Europe and playing the game with a feel that is unmatched in this class.
  • Melvin Frazier – SF, Tulane – This could be a potential marriage either at No. 19 or No. 30, depending on how you assess Frazier. He is a perfect modern 3-and-D prospect if you buy the surge of his jump shot from last season. If you don’t, it is tougher to project Frazier as a first rounder but he has the athleticism and length to be a game-changing defender and that provides a higher floor than you might think.
  • Elie Okobo – PG, France – Dennis Schröder may not be long for Atlanta and the Hawks could be looking for their next point guard as a result. Okobo probably isn’t slipping to No. 30 at this point but he may be there at No. 19 and Atlanta’s front office could prioritize him, especially in a world in which Doncic isn’t the choice at No. 3 overall. Okobo is a terrific offensive prospect.
  • Jaren Jackson Jr. – C/PF, Michigan State – Not everyone is sold on Jackson’s upside offensively, particularly if you don’t buy his unorthodox shooting stroke. However, there is essentially no reason to question his defensive profile, with an incredible college block rate, great length and the ability to defend in space as a switch defender. His ceiling may not be off-the-charts given the offensive skill set but Jackson almost certainly will be a high-end defender.
  • De’Anthony Melton – SG/PG, USC – Melton is something of a combo guard in that he probably isn’t a pure lead ball-handler but isn’t a knockdown shooter. That combination might force him to slide but Melton’s actual game is highly intriguing and he has good length on the defensive end. It feels safe to project an NBA role for a player that can handle the ball, make good decisions and guard multiple positions. He’d be a great pick late in the first round.
  • Mitchell Robinson – C, High School – If the Hawks tab Doncic early in the draft, they would have the cover (and safety) to take a massive swing on Robinson. On the high side, he has the talent to be a top-10 player in this class. If it doesn’t work, he might be out of the league. Some teams can’t stomach that kind of risk but, in Atlanta’s rebuilding position and a new, development-focused coaching staff, it could make sense.
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