The Hawks have brought in plenty of guards ahead of the NBA draft as they look to build out their roster.
The Hawks need another solid creator when they stagger the minutes of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. They may need to replace Aaron Holiday should he opt to explore free agency. Though Holiday expressed interest in returning to the Hawks, the team could be looking to keep costs low since they may try to avoid paying the luxury tax.
Of course, they will look to continue building chemistry between their backcourt tandem of Young and Murray.
The Hawks also have young prospects in Vit Krejci and Tyrese Martin under contract on non-guaranteed deals. Both Krejci and Martin struggled to crack the rotation last season, and the Hawks could look to move in another direction as they build their development program.
The 2023 draft has plenty of guards who could provide the Hawks with another distributor, scoring option, as well as bolster their defense. The Hawks currently hold picks No. 15 in the first round and No. 46 in the second.
Here is a look at some guards who could meet the Hawks’ needs.
1. Cason Wallace (Kentucky, 19 years old, 6-foot-3, 195 pounds) — He was scheduled to work out for the Hawks, but canceled his appearance shortly after the team announced his participation. He previously worked out for the Raptors and the Wizards.
If Wallace falls to the Hawks on June 22, the team will get a confident player they can count on to defend the wing with physicality. Wallace has been praised for his high motor, and the Hawks have needed even more aggressive players to defend the perimeter.
Wallace also would give the Hawks another solid catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter. He knocked down 34.6% of his shots from outside.
The 19-year-old will need time to develop some of his skills as a ballhandler, despite dishing 4.3 assists per game with the Wildcats.
Stats: 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.0 steals
2. Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana, 20, 6-4, 215) — The wing would give the Hawks a solid third guard who could play off of both Young and Murray.
Alongside Young, he would give continue to give the Hawks some size, as well as another option to bring the ball up. With Murray, he would allow the Hawks to continue finding ways to explore bigger lineups and has shown solid shooting mechanics that the team can continue to develop.
He also has shown plenty of engagement on defense and shows comfortability handling switches. That will give the Hawks plenty of ways to use him depending on what the game dictates.
The Hawks did not announce whether Hood-Schifino would work out for them ahead of the draft. But that does not mean that the Hawks would pass on him if he is available to them in the first round.
Stats: 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.8 steals
3. Ricky Council (Arkansas, 21, 6-6, 205) — The Hawks have worked out a lot of players projected to go in the second round of the draft. But Council could give the Hawks some potential in the backcourt on a cheaper salary.
The 21-year-old would add some more athletic ability and speed to a team that looked to play with more pace last season. On top of that, Council shows little fear in playing through contact, earning on average 6.1 trips to the free-throw line per game.
Like Hood-Schifino, Council would add plenty of size and strength to the backcourt. Scouts also have noted that Council has shown creativity as a ballhandler, as well as good instincts moving off the ball.
On defense, his mix of speed and strength, as well as his lack of fear of contact, would allow him to get into the bodies and disrupt them.
But Council made only 27% of his 3-point shot attempts (on an average of 3.5 shots per game), and the Hawks likely will try to find more ways to upgrade their shooting. But there is enough potential in a variety of skills that the Hawks can develop over time.
Stats: 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals
4. Isaiah Wong (Miami, 22, 6-3, 180) — Another solid option for the Hawks in the second round, the 2023 ACC Player of the Year helped to lead Miami to its first Final Four appearance in program history. He could bring his speed and shiftiness to the Hawks to provide another solid ballhandler behind Young and Murray, though he still has room to grow as a passer and playmaker for others.
He has plenty of instincts to push the pace and get out in front. With a mix of fakes and hesitations, Wong has developed into a solid shooter from midrange, as well as beyond the arc. He knocked down 38.4% of his shots from distance last season.
Wong worked out for the Hawks earlier this month but there will be plenty of competition on this team for playing time. He has shown defensive lapses, so finding ways to improve in that regard could earn him a crack in the rotation along with his scoring abilities.
Stats: 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals
5. Julian Strawther (Gonzaga, 21, 6-7, 205) — The Las Vegas native will likely play more as a wing and would offer the Hawks a strong 3-point shooter. Strawther made 40.8% of 3-point shot attempts last season (5.3 attempts per game) at Gonzaga, and scouts have little worry that he can continue that in the NBA.
The Hawks always have valued shooting, and when coach Quin Snyder took over last season, he placed an emphasis on building good spacing habits.
Though Strawther has shown potential when it comes to his footwork, scouts have raised concerns about his speed and lack of athleticism. They noted that Strawther does not have a lot of lateral quickness and can at times lose his matchup.
But Strawther’s ability as a knockdown shooter makes taking him in the second round a low-risk pick.
Stats: 15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals
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