2024 NBA Draft: Atlanta Hawks Options With Top Pick

The Atlanta Hawks won the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery and landed the number one pick for the first time in franchise history. What are their options with that pick?

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Hawks had a 3% chance of winning the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery and they struck gold as they landed the number one overall pick in this year’s draft. The franchise is in an interesting position as they are led by franchise point guard Trae Young, who put up 25.7 points and 10.8 assists per game this season. The Hawks missed the playoffs this season and looked very underwhelming, so now they are looking to put the right pieces next to their franchise lead guard in hopes of making it to the playoffs next season.

But what are their options?

Drafting Alexandre Sarr

The consensus number one overall prospect in this year’s draft is Alexandre Sarr, who played for the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL this past season. The 7-foot-1 big man is one of the best defensive prospects in the entire draft while having a versatile offensive skill set. He has drawn a lot of comparisons to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Evan Mobley due to their defensive and offensive similarities. Sarr would be a perfect fit next to Young.

If they were to draft Sarr, then their other centers in Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu might be on the verge of getting traded to another team. The Capela experience hasn’t been great for the Hawks, so changing their look at the center position could be what’s best for the Hawks moving forward. A frontcourt duo of Sarr and Jalen Johnson would give Atlanta a promising young duo that brings a ton to the table. As of today, this looks like the likely option on draft night.

Trading The Pick

Although it’s likely the Hawks end up keeping the number one overall pick and drafting Sarr, there’s a chance they end up shopping the pick for a proven star player. The Hawks are basically in win-now mode with players like Young and Dejounte Murray on their roster, so pairing that duo with a star forward could be what Atlanta needs to contend for an NBA championship.

The big question here is what star could they trade for that makes it worth getting rid of the number one overall pick for? There’s a lot of superstars that will ask for trades in the offseason so expect to hear some names circulating the rumor mill here soon which could play a big factor in whether the Hawks make the pick or trade out.

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