The Hawks go on the clock in one week as they look to continue developing their roster when they select in the NBA draft June 22.
While they have plenty of wings on the team, they can always add a little more size and shooting to their depth chart. The Hawks have plenty to decide on as they think about the future of their front court.
They could find a partner and new home for John Collins, who has been a perpetual name in trade rumors over the past three years. Should that happen, it opens the door for the Hawks to turn their younger forwards, Saddiq Bey and Jalen Johnson.
The Hawks currently hold picks No. 15 in the first round and No. 46 in the second.
Here is a look at some forwards who could meet the Hawks’ needs.
Kris Murray (Iowa, 22 years old, 6-foot-8, 220 pounds). The twin brother of Kings forward Keegan Murray, Kris Murray could give the Hawks more size, power and athletic ability on the wing. The Hawks already have plenty of depth on the wing, but Kris Murray would add another strong rebounder in the frontcourt on both ends of the floor.
Since the Hawks have a number of guys ahead in the rotation, Murray would likely spend much of the season in College Park with the Skyhawks. He wouldn’t be the first wing the team sent to its G League affiliate for developmental minutes. Johnson spent much of his rookie season with the Skyhawks and took a big step forward in his sophomore season.
The Hawks likely would look to develop Murray as a 3-and-D wing, and those minutes in College Park could help him improve his efficiency from long range. Murray shot 33.5% on 3-point shots in college, but scouts have been impressed with his mechanics.
Stats: 20.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.2 blocks
Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Marquette, 20, 6-8, 230). Like Murray, Prosper would give the Hawks another bigger and athletic wing. He has shown promise in transition and as a cutter, which would give the Hawks another option when they’re looking to push the pace.
On defense, Prosper’s speed and length make him ideal for guarding multiple positions. Scouts have been impressed with his defensive foundation and engagement, which has allowed him to be disruptive on that end of the floor.
He can play through contact well on both ends of the floor, but on defense he forces his man to shoot over the top. He also has the strength to fight through screens, which gives coaches the ability to play him in multiple types of coverages.
The Montreal native still has room to grow as a shooter, knocking down only 33.9% of his 3-point shots. He showed steady improvement through college after shooting 16.7% as a freshman.
Stats: 12.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks)
Gradey Dick (Kansas, 19, 6-6, 205). The Kansas freshman didn’t work out for the Hawks, but he could give them the scoring punch on 3-pointers that they need. Dick made 40.3% of his 3-point shots on 5.7 attempts per game.
He’s capable of making shots in a variety of ways that give the Hawks the option to run different actions that will space the floor. Dick has solid instincts off the ball as well and can cut to the basket with various moves that shake defenders loose.
On defense, Dick has some room to grow and scouts worry that he will be hunted. He does stay engaged, but the scouts have noted that players have been able to play through him even when he has established good positioning.
Stats: 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.7 blocks)
Hunter Tyson (Clemson, 23, 6-8, 210). The Hawks could slide Tyson between small forward and power forward because of his ability to knock down shots, but also his ability to crash the glass. He made 40.5% of his 3-point shots with his quick and high release. Tyson shows the ability to recover from close-outs and can hit shots off the dribble.
Plus, Tyson can move well off the ball, cut to the basket and effectively picks his spots.
Scouts have noted, though, that Tyson does not have a quick first step and that it shows as a problem mostly on defense. That could become an issue in switches, especially when quicker players look to exploit that.
They’ve also noted that Tyson may need time to get stronger when he transitions to the NBA to be able to defend some of the bigger wings.
Stats: 15.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks
Adama Sanogo (Connecticut, 21, 6-7, 260). A native of Mali, Sanogo has solid footwork and a soft touch around the rim. He has a strong motor as well and is constantly moving and has plenty of strength to play through contact and finish at the basket.
He has good instincts and can be played in either pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop situations. He sank 36.5% of his shots from 3, and scouts have said that he shows promise as a big-bodied floor spacer.
Sanogo has room for improvement on defense, but his footwork does allow him to recover well enough. At UConn, he defended the post well enough, but there is concern that he may struggle against some of the league’s larger players.
Stats: 17.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.8 blocks
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