What Will Be The Atlanta Hawks Biggest Needs In The 2024 NBA Draft?
The offseason came early for the Atlanta Hawks this year, as they lost in the play-in tournament vs the Chicago Bulls. This is the first missed postseason for Atlanta since 2020 and as a result, they will be waiting to see how the NBA Draft Lottery falls their way.
There is a lot of uncertainty going into this draft for the Hawks. The biggest questions about their offseason are going to revolve around what they will do with their roster, specifically with Dejounte Murray and Trae Young. They are not the only players that could be moved though. Players like Clint Capela, De'Andre Hunter, and maybe others, could be on the move as Atlanta works to reshape their roster.
The other thing to consider is that the Hawks don't know where they are picking at just yet. Atlanta could be picking as high as No. 1 if they get a very favorable break in the lottery, they could stay at No. 10, or they could drop down a spot or two. Where the Hawks are picking is going to determine who is available and what direction they want to go in.
Finally, this draft is viewed as being a very weak draft and there is no consensus top pick. That makes predicting where guys could be very difficult.
With that being said, what could be some positions that Atlanta looks to fill this offseason through the draft?
1. Forwards/Wings with size and athleticism
The Hawks are not a big team as presently constructed and need to add some forwards this offseason. They have De'Andre Hunter, Jalen Johnson, and AJ Griffin, and they view Mouhamed Gueye as a forward. Saddiq Bey and Vit Krejci are restricted free agents and my guess is that the Hawks will want to try and bring those guys back. Even if they do, this is still a need for the Hawks.
Who could fit that description?
One guy to look at potentially is G-League Ignite Forward Matas Buzelis. In his most recent mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman had the Hawks selecting Buzelis with the No. 10 pick and here is what he had to say about them making that pick:
"Matas Buzelis showcased enough scoring versatility, athleticism and defensive playmaking to maintain a spot in this year's lottery discussion. Inconsistency and disappointing three-point shooting numbers have also affected scouts' confidence.
Buzelis should have a legitimate opportunity to improve his stock during workouts, where he can help ease concerns over a 26.1 three-point percentage that everyone expected to be significantly higher out of Sunrise Christian Academy."
Ron Holland from G-League Ignite would also be an intriguing pick, but he might not be there when the Hawks pick. Holland is a 6'8 195 wing player that has huge defensive upside that should intrigue the Hawks.
Cody Williams (Colorado), Zaccharie Risacher (JL Bourg (LNB Pro A), France), and Tidjane Salaun (France) are the guys that I would watch for this position and any of them could be on the board when the Hawks pick.
2. A shot blocking/defensive-minded center
Whether the Hawks trade Capela or keep him, they need to find another center to develop because Capela's contract is almost and he is getting older. Onyeka Okongwu could be the starter for a long time, but the Hawks have a need at the position.
One of the draft's top guys is of course UConn's Donovan Clingan. Clingan was phenomenal during the Huskies run to their second straight national championship and is an excellent shot blocker and defender who has room to grow at the other end. I think he could be the ideal pick for the Hawks in the first round, but could go in the top five and Atlanta might not be able to move that high via the lottery.
Clingan is not perfect though. Offensively, he does not offer much right now and was a poor free throw shooter at UConn. His impact right away would be on defense and hopefully for the Hawks, his offense would grow.
Alex Sarr (Perth Wildcats (NBL), France) could end up being the best player in the draft and is the guy that is most commonly mocked near the top of drafts. He is a 6'11 217 LBS player who would bring a lot of versatility and athleticism to Atlanta and he could have the highest ceiling in the draft. The Hawks are going to probably need to pick near the top of the draft to land him, but in a draft with this much uncertainity, he could always fall to them.
The most polarizing player in this draft might be Purdue center Zach Edey. He is one of the most accomplished college basketball players of all time, but there is a big question over whether he will translate well to the NBA and how well he can play. He has been compared to Ivica Zubac by some and would offer upside as a rebounder and shot blocker. His abiltiy to play in space and defend away from the rim is a huge question mark though. He would be in play if the Hawks stuck at 10 or even fell a few spots in the lottery or in a possible trade down.
Kel'el Ware (Indiana) and Kyle Filipowski (Duke) are two other names to watch. Between the two, I would prefer Filipowski.
This is not seen as a great draft, but there is a chance to find impact players. A lot might depend on how the lottery plays out for the Hawks and that won't be known until May 12th.
