Atlanta Hawks: Ranking the Top 8 Lottery Picks By Best Fit
By Chris Guest
Trae Young – Oklahoma
Perhaps the biggest “boom or bust” prospect on this list, Trae Young out of Oklahoma could be the point guard savior of the future for the Hawks, or he could drop into basketball purgatory – both outcomes are possible at this point.
Young burst onto the scene to start the college season and he exploded for 48- and 44-point outbursts early in the year. He cooled off later in the season, though he still put out historic numbers – leading the country in points (27.4) and assists (8.7) per game.
The 19-year-old Young would immediately upgrade the Hawks’ backcourt rotation, perhaps indicating a sea change in the organization that entrenched point guard Dennis Schröder might not be long for the team. Young’s passing wizardry, ability to pull up or spot up from deep in three-point territory and scoring acumen would make the Hawks a far better offensive team right out of the gate.
Of course, there’s a drawback. Young’s defense is perhaps the worst of any prospect in the past 10 years, and he was a defensive turnstile for Oklahoma – though he had little help on the team. If the Hawks want a strong defensive core, drafting Young indicates that will likely not happen in the immediate (and might never happen).
Still though, the extreme nature of Young’s production means he might be worth a look with pick number 5 or 6.