Last night marked the exciting occasion of the NBA Draft Lottery, a chance for fans of non-playoff teams to dream a little bit and get a better idea of who may be in play for their teams on October 16th. A couple of teams were particularly fortunate on the night, with the Chicago Bulls moving up to pick #4 after having the seventh-best odds and the Charlotte Hornets moving all the way to #3 from the eighth position.
Unfortunately for the Atlanta Hawks, who came in with the fourth best odds for the top selection and a 55.3% chance of selecting in the top five, they will have to settle with pick #6 thanks to the aforementioned teams moving up. While it is far from the ideal scenario, there is still plenty of intriguing talent in this range, especially in a draft process that will be unlike any other.
With organizations having less data on certain players and the inability to work players out in person, it is likely that opinions will be significantly different. Throw in the fact that this year’s draft class already lacked clarity after the first three prospects (Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, Memphis’s James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball), and we’re in for a wild ride over the next two months.
Let’s take a look at what are, in my opinion, the three best options for the Hawks to consider at this stage.
1. TRADE DOWN
This option is always easier said than done, but if the Hawks are able to move down in this year’s draft and accumulate more assets for the future or an established veteran they absolutely should. The reality is that most of the prospects in the mid-to-late lottery are very similar in that they have intriguing strengths to go along with obvious weaknesses that will have to be addressed at the NBA level for them to return value. Because of this, it makes perfect sense to take a shot at one of these guys later in the draft or trade out altogether if they aren’t sold on a single prospect.
The Knicks are a team who are desperate for talent, and they may be willing to move up for a point guard if they are sold on a certain guy. Obviously, LaMelo Ball would be a priority for them, but it would take quite a bit of capital to move all the way from eighth to the top three. Maybe they would have interest in Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton or French guard Killian Hayes instead. It is unlikely that they would part ways with one of their young players in a deal, but the Hawks also have plenty of cap space to take on someone like Julius Randle if that interests them.
If Atlanta moved down a couple spots or even further, they would still be able to target one of the wing/forward players who will surely drop to the late lottery, such as Florida State’s Devin Vassell, Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, Vanderbilt’s Aaron Nesmith, or Villanova’s Saddiq Bey.
2. SELECT DEVIN VASSELL
In a “normal” draft with more prospect potential at the top, sophomore guard Devin Vassell would likely go in the 10-20 range at best. However, if the Hawks are unable to find a trade partner, it would benefit them to just stay where they are and take the best player available. Like I mentioned before, every team’s draft board is going to look drastically different, but Vassell makes a lot of sense.
The 6’5”, 180-pound Florida State product enjoyed a solid season in Tallahassee, posting averages of 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game on 49.0/41.5/73.8% shooting. While he doesn’t boast the flashy upside that generally comes with a lottery pick, he’s a solid 3-and-D player that every playoff team covets. His shooting ability is what separates him from someone like Isaac Okoro for me, who has the potential to be a lockdown defender in the NBA but simply doesn’t have the offensive game at this point.
This would be a good landing spot for Vassell as well, who wouldn’t have the usual expectations of a top-six pick to perform in year one. With Kevin Huerter, DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish certain to get big minutes next season, Vassell could slot into the rotation nicely and primarily be counted on to play defense and hit open shots. Meanwhile, he would also be able to develop his shot creation and general feel for the game in a low pressure environment.
3. SELECT ISAAC OKORO
As mentioned previously, freshman forward Isaac Okoro is extremely interesting as a defense-first project. These types of players are not normally prioritized by front offices in the draft, but GM Travis Schlenk knows he has to surround Trae Young, John Collins, and the current core with more defenders if they want to win ball games. Okoro is listed at 6’6”, 225 pounds, and definitely brings a more physical presence than Vassell does.
Atlanta is rumored to be high on the player, and it makes sense seeing as he is potentially the best defender in the class. He took on an important role for the Auburn Tigers, often guarding the opposing team’s most electric players. What makes him even more interesting at the next level is his size and ability to also guard larger forwards, a useful trait to have in a league where “switchable” players are so crucial.
The major stumbling block with this pick is the Atlanta native’s lack of scoring at the college level (16 points per 40 minutes) and struggles from beyond the arc (29% from three). The Hawks already have an abundance of scoring with Young and Collins, but finding another consistent shooter outside of the All-Star point guard is still a priority.
If Okoro is unable to ever improve upon his offensive output, this pick will not produce a ton of value. However, with his All-NBA defensive potential and room to grow offensively with more spacing, it would still be a smart selection by the franchise.
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