The pingpong balls fell the Hawks way on Sunday night.
Now what?
The Hawks have the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft set to take place June 26-27. They defied the odds and made the largest jump in the lottery in franchising history. The Jazz fell two spots to 10th from their pre-lottery positioning and with the odds rolling the way they did, the Hawks spring boarded into the top four.
As NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum announced the Spurs at No. 4, the Rockets at No. 3 and then the Wizards at No. 2, the Hawks learned their fate. They had just a 3% chance of winning the top pick but the odds fell in their favor.
Now, they look to use it as an opportunity to improve a team that finished the regular season 36-46. Though Hawks general manager Landry Fields doesn’t see the first overall pick bringing added pressure, making the right move or moves could have some big implications in the future.
The Hawks’ draft could wrap up all by 8:05 p.m. on June 26. They could have just one pick as their second-rounder got re-routed to the Trail Blazers when they acquired forward Saddiq Bey at the 2023 trade deadline.
They could end up with just a second-round pick in the 2025 draft should the protected pick from the Kings not convey and their first-rounder headed to the Spurs. They acquired a second-round pick from the Timberwolves.
They have a pick swap with the Spurs in 2026. Should they not get the pick from the Kings in 2025, then 2026 is the final year that pick could be used in the first round.
The draft in 2027 could be the last year the Hawks could be without a first-round pick with that year’s selection heading to the Spurs. Plus, if they did not receive the pick from the Kings in the 2026 draft, it would become a second-rounder.
So, the Hawks have a lot of things to ponder but here is what they could do.
Use the pick
The Hawks could simply just use the pick.
Draft experts don’t consider this year’s draft class to be as strong as last year’s, which was headlined by Victor Wembanyama as the consensus top pick. They also don’t think it is as strong as next year’s class, with Cooper Flagg as the marquee name.
But this year’s class could still have players that could alter the trajectory of a team.
The Hawks have prioritized internal development as something that could build them into a championship-caliber franchise. So, making the right pick and developing that player alongside the pieces they already have could would be in line with many financial moves they have already made.
Fields trusts the process that he and his team in the front office has done leading up to Sunday and said they are prepared.
“We’ll see about that,” Fields said on Sunday. “Frankly, you hear rumors about how the draft class is shaping up but we’ll see about that. I totally trust what we’ve been doing leading up even to this point in time, right? Our process for choosing players and bringing them into the building has already begun. We’ve been doing it. Our scouts have been extremely hard at work. People have been on the road. I’ve been on the road. We’re prepared for this moment, frankly, and it’s just, again, part of our process.”
Move down in the draft
The Hawks could move down in the draft by trading the pick to another team and bring in a veteran player who could contribute now. They have not been shy about wanting to keep their roster competitive and rookie player that they’re looking to develop may not be able to do so right now.
Of course, the Hawks would not want to move too far down in this year’s draft but it is an option that they could be mulling over.
Package the pick in a big trade
Following what seemed another underwhelming season of the pairing of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, questions have emerged about the tandem’s long-term future in Atlanta.
The Hawks played better when the two guards logged minutes individually. Plus, they account for nearly 48.6% of the Hawks salary cap next season, which would be a high price to pay for a pairing that has been slow mesh.
The team also has other moves that it will need to make to reach the salary cap figure their satisfied with.
So, the Hawks could package the first overall pick in a deal that could send any number of players to a different city.
But Fields said in his post-lottery media availability that trading the top pick was not on the team’s radar.
“That’s not even our focus right now,” Fields said. “This is a point in time where the opportunity that’s before us is an excellent opportunity. And it puts us in position, right? Positioning is key in this business, and that’s the position we have right now, number one position. So we’ll just keep doing what we do ‚gather as a group and we’ll figure this thing out in time.
About the Author
