Atlanta Hawks Land New York Knicks Guard in B/R's 2021 NBA Re-Draft

Looking back on past drafts is something that lots of fans do, either to look at how good they did in the draft compared to the teams around them or to wonder what might have been if they had selected a different player who was on the board when they made their choice. It is usually wise to wait a few years to see where players are at in their development.

Looking back at the 2021 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks made one of the best selections in the entire draft and had a little bit of luck on their side in doing so. Atlanta selected 20th in the draft following their run to the Eastern Conference Finals and got one of the most talented players in the draft to fall to them at No. 20. Duke Forward Jalen Johnson was one of the talented players in the draft, but fell for various reasons and the Hawks took full advantage. Fast forward to today and the Hawks are reaping the benefits of drafting Johnson. He is having an All-Star-caliber season and looks like one of the NBA's best young players. He likely would have won the Most Improved Player Award last year if not for injuries limiting the number of games he could play.

It is hard to overstate how much he means to the team. Johnson is a terrific rebounder and helps with rim protection, a good on-ball defender, and is the Hawks' second-best offensive creator. He is making a legitimate case to be an All-Star this season with the numbers that he is putting up. He is averaging 19.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and 5.3 APG on 51% shooting from the field and 33% from three. He also has an effective field goal percentage of 56% and a true shooting percentage of 58%.

Atlanta does not have a replacement for Johnson when he is gone and that is one of the biggest holes on the team. Not only do they not have a real backup power forward behind him, but one of the Hawks's other weaknesses is that they don't have a reliable backup point guard. When Johnson is out of the lineup, Atlanta loses their best frontcourt player, and one of their best ball handlers as well. He has the highest plus/minus (+2.4) on the team for a reason.

In a re-draft though, the Hawks would have no shot at getting Johnson to fall to them.

Atlanta Hawks Land New York Knicks Guard in B/R's 2021 NBA Re-Draft — Jan 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In a recent re-draft of the 2021 NBA draft by Bleacher Report, Johnson went 6th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder (could you imagine) and at No. 20, the Hawks selecting Knicks backup point guard Deuce McBride.

Original Pick: Jalen Johnson

Deuce McBride's Original Draft Position: No. 36

"Limited floor time and, recently, knee and hamstring issues can leave Deuce McBride on the outside looking in at a first-round spot. Ditto for his lack of size and offensive initiation. Even at 6'2", though, McBride is a practical three-and-D option. It's tough to pass on that kind of fits-anywhere value at No. 20."

Other players that were on the board at No. 20 included Sam Hauser, Jose Alvarado, Davion Mitchell, Dalano Banton, Corey Kispert, and Tre Mann.

McBride has carved out a nice role for himself on the Knicks and when healthy, he is a legitimate candidate for 6th man of the year. This would not be a bad pick at all in any re-draft considering the limited options that are there for teams in that range.

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