Report: Hawks Showing No Interest In Moving Up From No. 8 Pick

The 2026 NBA Draft is three days away and the closer and closer we get to names actually being called, the more rumors and smoke screens seem to be going around.

A lot of speculation remains at the top about what the Washington Wizards are going to do with the No. 1 pick, but there are plenty of other teams to watch, including the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta enters the draft as the only playoff team with a top-ten pick, and they have a lot of options as far as where they could go with the selection, including moving up or down. There has been a lot of talk about the Hawks being open for business in terms of moving down from No. 8, but not as much buzz about moving up.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, that is because the Hawks have not shown a lot of interest in moving up in the draft:

"Sources add that Atlanta has shown no interest to this point in moving up from No. 8. Indications repeatedly relayed to me from teams in the 5-to-10 slots are that the separation between players projected to land in that range just isn't wide enough to justify the cost required to move up."

Fischer also added this:

"My sense is that Illinois' Keaton Wagler and Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr. are going to go 5 and 6 in some order.

Both Wagler and Brown, league sources say, have canceled workouts with Sacramento ... clear signs of confidence that neither expects to even be available when the Kings' turn comes up."

Smokescreen or real?

Mar 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) reacts while playing against the Baylor Bears in the second half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

If true, I think that is a correct assessment by the Hawks. While everyone, including front office personnel, is going to have preferred guys in some order, I don't think there is a big gap between Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr, or Kingston Flemings, and the Hawks should either stay put and take the one that is left over or move down in the draft.

Heading into the lottery, the Hawks were hoping for a big move into the top four to get one of the elite prospects in the draft, but luck was not on their side and they fell to No. 8, but that does not mean that they cannot come away with an impact player for the immediate and long-term future.

After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks have a hole at point guard, and they had to patch things together after he was moved. Jalen Johnson was 5th in the NBA in assists, but he still has some development to do in the shot creation department, as the playoffs showed. Atlanta relied on Dyson Daniels, CJ McCollum, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker at the guard spot, and while each of them has a strong skill set for the team, passing and playmaking are not really one of them.

The other thing is that none of them really pressure the rim either. Combine that with the lack of shotmaking and shot creation in the halfcourt and I just described some of the biggest reasons why the Hawks struggled on offense against the Knicks in the playoffs. Finding solutions to these issues is going to be paramount for the Hawks this offseason and getting one of these guards could be an immediate help while also being a good long-term bet to grow with this core.

Could the Hawks still find a way to move up from No. 8 if they feel like the deal is right? Certainly, but in a talented draft like this, there is going to be a premium put on moving up, and Atlanta needs to stay patient and not overpay to move up just 2-3 spots and get a player of similar talent.

The 2026 NBA Draft is set to begin on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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