Everyone Is Still In Disbelief That New Orleans Made The Draft Night Trade With Atlanta

Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cooper Flagg embraces Asa Newell after being selected as first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

What a week it has been for the Atlanta Hawks.

On Tuesday night, they made a big trade for Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis, sending the No. 22 pick and Terance Mann to the Nets and Georges Niang and a second rounder to Boston. It was widely regarded as a sharp trade by many around the NBA, but things got better for the Hawks during the first round of the NBA draft.

Sitting with the No. 13 pick, Atlanta made one of the most stunning draft day trades in recent memory. The Hawks sent the 13th pick to the New Orleans Pelicans for the 23rd pick and an unprotected first round pick that is the most favorable of the Pelicans or the Bucks.

Let me say that again. The Atlanta Hawks will get the most favorable pick between the Bucks or the Pelicans.

In an always tough Western Conference, the Pelicans are projected to be among the worst teams and very unlikely to be a playoff team. Milwaukee still has Giannis Antetokounmpo (for now), but the rest of that roster is very weak. Given the Bucks still get to play in the East and have one of the best players in the world, who is also durable and available. There is a good chance that the Hawks end up with a lottery pick and it is not crazy to think they could even land in the top four if things break their way.

Even 12 hours after the trade, nobody can believe that the Pelicans made that trade. One year after getting Dyson Daniels from the New Orleans Pelicans, the Hawks make another trade with them that could be just as good.

Shoutout the New Orleans Pelicans. Single handily saving the Hawks franchise

— Demon Onsi (@Preet410_) June 26, 2025

i’m in awe of the new orleans pelicans franchise man

— 💆🏽‍♂️ (@godspeedbrother) June 26, 2025

The Atlanta Hawks have absolutely COOKED this week.......

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 26, 2025

“This was one of the five dumbest trades of this decade.”@BillSimmons was SPEECHLESS after the Pelicans traded away a 2026 unprotected first-round pick to move up 10 spots. pic.twitter.com/GpV3N53eBW

— The Ringer (@ringer) June 26, 2025

"WHAT ARE THEY THINKING!?”@getnickwright could not believe what the Pelicans traded to the Hawks during the NBA Draft pic.twitter.com/9RZ8kBcOOi

— What’s Wright? with Nick Wright (@WhatsWrightShow) June 26, 2025

Unsolicited texts/DMs from people around the league in the last 3 minutes:

"Holy s***, Onsi got a probable lottery pick to move from 13 to 23?"

"Cannot believe that was the price ATL got to go down 10 spots"

"sooooo Onsi cooked?"

"Just took Dumars to the cleaners my god"

— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) June 26, 2025

Without exaggeration, making trades with the Pelicans may have deadass turned everything around for the Hawks

— Adnan Ikic (@SayWhichWay) June 26, 2025

Pelicans potentially trading their unprotected 2026 first, a year after going 21-61, just to move up ten spots. What are we doing here

— Mark Deeks (@MarkDeeksNBA) June 26, 2025

Pelicans gotta stop trading with the Hawks

— Aligned RB (@RyB_311) June 26, 2025