Everything Atlanta Hawks Fans Should Know for the 2026 NBA Draft: Picks, Targets, Rumors, More

The 2026 NBA Draft is almost a week away.

The Atlanta Hawks are going to be one of the most interesting teams to follow this offseason due to the flexibility they can have with their roster, as well as being the only playoff team with a top-ten pick and one of two playoff teams that have a lottery pick.

For a team that finished the season 20-6 after the All-Star Break and got to the playoffs (while also being the only team to beat the Knicks multiple times in the playoffs), the Hawks could take a sizeable jump with the right offseason.

It all starts with the draft, though, and here is everything that Hawks fans need to know about the upcoming draft, including picks, targets, and rumors. I will be updating this page whenever more information becomes available.

Picks

No. 8, first round

This is where it all begins for the Hawks next Tuesday, assuming that they still have the pick (anything can happen in the NBA).

The top four of this draft feels (and I want to stress the word feels) like it is set. Either Darryn Peterson or AJ Dybantsa will be the No. 1 pick, the other will be No. 2, Cameron Boozer will be third, and Caleb Wilson will be fourth. The draft might really begin at No. 5 with the Los Angeles Clippers and what the Clippers, Nets, and Kings do will obviously have an impact on what the Hawks do with the No. 8 pick.

No. 23, first round

As of right now, the Hawks are slated to make not one, but two picks in the first round. They could of course move out of this pick to move down, move up, or trade for a future pick, but if the Hawks stick around at No, 23, this will be a fascinating selection.

No. 57, second round

The final pick of the Hawks draft, this will be another fascinating decision. Due to NIL, there was a lot of second round talent that decided to go back to school and the talent pool got watered down quite a bit when the draft shifts to the second round.

Will the Hawks keep this pick or trade it? Could they move up to get someone they really want or could they move out of the draft entirely and not make a second round selection? Both options should be on the table and even if they make a pick, there is no guarantee that player is even going to make the roster.

Targets for the No. 8 pick

The Hawks are going to have options with the No. 8 pick and aside from the top four prospects, Atlanta should have plenty of top players on the board that they could pick, including:

Illinois guard Keaton Wagler
Houston guard Kingston Flemings
Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr
Michigan center Aday Mara
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg
Arizona guard Brayden Burries
Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr

If the Hawks stick at No. 8 and don't move down, I think that the player they select is going to come from that group. Lendeborg or Burries could be targets in a trade down.

I don't think that Acuff Jr is going to be on the board when the Hawks are up to pick, but it is possible.

Targets for No. 23 pick

The board will open up a bit more with this pick if the Hawks stay here:

Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie
Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance
Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson
Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz
Houston center Chris Cenac Jr
Santa Clara forward Allen Graves
Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr
Duke guard/forward Isaiah Evans
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar
Arizona forward Koa Peat
Arkansas guard Maleek Thomas
UConn center Tarris Reed Jr

Rumors

June 15th (5:30 p.m. ET)- ESPN's Jeremy Woo had this to say in his latest mock draft: "The Hawks have done work on all the guards in this range, and Aday Mara is also viewed as an option, with center an area of need. Rival teams say Atlanta appears open to moving up or down in the draft, giving it options while also holding the No. 23 pick."

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