An Under-the-Radar Draft Lottery Result That Could Help The Atlanta Hawks

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is nearly 24 hours away.

This is going to be another highly anticipated lottery and that was evident this season from the amount of teams that decided to tank.

One team that did not tank (at least not on purpose) was the New Orleans Pelicans. Why did they not tank, you might ask? That is because they gave their unprotected 2026 first-round pick, which is the most favorable of the Pelicans' and Bucks' selections, to the Atlanta Hawks. After making the NBA playoffs and pushing the Knicks to six games, Atlanta is going to have a chance at the No. 1 pick in this talented NBA Draft.

The No. 1 pick is what every Hawks fan hopes for when the ping-pong balls bounce on Sunday, but an underrated result could be just as beneficial for the Hawks.

The Perfect Fit?

Whoever gets the No. 1 pick in this years lottery, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa is the favorite to go No. 1 overall, including if the Hawks get the No. 1 pick. Dybantsa is an immensely talented prospect and looks like the type of wing player that teams want to build around in today's NBA. However, he was not always the favorite to go No. 1 overall and a part of his rise has to be attributed to the discussion around Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.

Peterson entered this cycle as the projected top pick, but his up and down season with Kansas, including missing games with a hamstring injury and inconsistent play dropped him from that spot and while there is still a chance that a team could like him more than Dybantsa (all it takes is one), he is not the favorite to got No.1 any longer and has not been for some time.

However, I think there is an argument to be made that Peterson is the perfect fit for the Hawks and if Atlanta landed him at No. 2 in this draft, he could transform into the player that helps lift the Hawks into legitimate championship contention.

The biggest weaknesses on this Hawks roster in the playoffs and after the trade deadline were interior size and defense and playmaking/shot creation in the halfcourt. While Peterson is not going to help much with the former, he has the talent to develop into one of the NBA's best scorers and has the size and athleticism that teams covet from elite shot makers in today's league.

Last season for the Jayhawks, Peterson averaged 20.2 PPG on 44% shooting from the field and 38% from three. He has drawn a lot of comparisons to current Wolves guard Anthony Edwards and it is not hard to see why. Most guards don't have the physical tools and athleticism that Peterson has been gifted with and he would seamlessly fit on the Hawks. I think that he would turn into their lead guard sooner than later and give them the sort of shot creation and playmaking ability that they sorely needed in the playoffs.

I think that Peterson will probably get heavy consideration even if the Hawks win the No. 1 pick, though I do think they will end up taking Dybantsa. Peterson is an elite prospect though and might be the best fit for the Hawks,

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