The Atlanta Hawks have been linked to several players in the 2017 NBA Draft.
With prime selections to be made at picks 19 and 31 in what is an elite NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks can look to fill remaining voids on the team. One thing that new general manager Travis Schlenk should accomplish this offseason is acquiring a serviceable backup point guard. More than likely, this could come with a Hawks’ second round pick, whether it’s at 31 or 60.
Hawks were assigned 12 players to interview at NBA Scouting Combine. Here is the list.https://t.co/w8GjEhS5U8
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) May 19, 2017
This draft class is considered the best one for point guards in ages. Not just for names such as Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, but this draft has quality floor generals spread out from top to bottom. Here, we hope to highlight some of the lesser known point guards that may be found in the second round for the Atlanta Hawks to pick up.
Atlanta Hawks personnel were assigned 12 players at the NBA Draft Combine to have personal interviews with. One of those players was Oklahoma State’s Jawun Evans. There’s a strong chance that Evans is a first rounder, as he was one of the best and most unappreciated players in the entire country.
In 2016-17, Evans averaged 19.2 points per game, a Big 12 leading 6.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 38 percent from three. This could be a major steal for Atlanta if he manages to fall.
Another player the Atlanta Hawks interviewed was Duke point guard Frank Jackson. Jackson was a part of the elite recruiting class last year that had the Blue Devils shaped for utter domination. Instead, both Duke and Frank Jackson had rather strange seasons.
In the beginning and end of the season, Jackson looked absolutely phenomenal. Then, in the middle of the season sandwich, he wasn’t getting any minutes at all.
When Jackson was getting his opportunity, he showcased some major talent. Jackson shot 47% from the field, 54% on two point shots, 39% from three, and averaged 10 points per game, despite playing under 25 minutes per game. Recent foot surgery makes Jackson a risky draft pick, but without dire need of his services right away, it could be one that works for the Atlanta Hawks.
The third point guard the Atlanta Hawks personally interviewed at the combine was Iowa State’s Monte Morris. During his four year career with the Cyclones, Morris was one of the most well rounded players both on the court and off it. With a career assist to turnover ratio of 4.6 to 1, which is utterly absurd at any level, Morris simply plays the game with intelligence and calmness.
Morris could be in play at either pick 31 or 60. Either way, he’d be a tremendous addition to the Atlanta Hawks. He can shoot the ball well, has major clutch genes, and obviously is a special passer.
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The Atlanta Hawks would be well off with any of these point guards, and they’ve clearly shown interest in all three. Dennis Schroder can be a special player, but the best way for him to improve further is to give him a reliable backup in order to take some of the weight off his shoulders. Any of these guys could do just that.