After the tremendous Rookie of the Year-level success of the Utah Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell, every NBA team will be looking for steals in the 2018 Draft and the Atlanta Hawks are no different (we’ve already highlighted a player the Hawks could take that might match Mitchell’s hot start).
The Hawks did incredibly well in the 2017 Draft, nabbing likely franchise cornerstone John Collins with the 19th pick last year as well as solid rotation player Tyler Dorsey in the second round.
With 4 picks in the Top 33 selections of this year’s draft, the team has far more draft collateral than they’ve had in recent years, and with a new front office in place – as well as a new coach – the organization will be able to convey a unified front and focus on exactly who they want to develop. Perhaps one (or more) of these prospects will fall to Atlanta due to a myriad of reasons.
The science of projecting NBA players is not set in stone, so there are always diamonds in the rough available as teams differ on a player’s ceiling or the immediate impact a prospect might have.
We’ve outlined 4 players that might fall to Atlanta with some of their later picks in the draft (19th overall and beyond), and who might develop into being labeled the “steal of the 2018 NBA draft.”
Hamidou Diallo
Perhaps the most disappointing player in this draft class, astonishing athleticism is the main claim to fame for this Kentucky freshman. After a dispiriting season at UK, Hamidou Diallo’s stock plummeted from a possible mid-to-low lottery selection all the way out of the first round.
Diallo showed little feel on either end of the court in his lone college season, something that has seemingly scared off talent evaluators. Despite outlandish physical gifts (and a bonkers 44” inch vertical), Diallo rarely put those talents on display in any meaningful way during his first college season.
With all that in mind, such a tantalizing physical skill set is certain to at least get a shot in the NBA, and the Hawks might be able to pull of the biggest bamboozle in franchise history if Diallo can make the most of his talents at the highest level.
It is likely that Diallo will be available in the second round and the Hawks should be able to take a flyer on him with either the 30th pick or the 33rd pick.
With the right coaching situation, which the Hawks will hopefully have once they make their much ballyhooed hire, Diallo could thrive, but his lack of feel and poor decision-making and instincts on both ends must be rooted out for him to succeed.
Even still, Diallo showed a knack for highlight plays and transition scoring as he was able to gallop out on the break using his immense speed, so even if he doesn’t pan out for the Hawks, they should still be able to create some memorable plays with him and the high-flying John Collins.
Trevon Duval
A freshman out of Duke, Trevon Duval came into the college season as one of the most highly touted point guard prospects in the country. After the season finished, those lofty ideals had been replaced by a rather muted response after Duvall failed to capitalize on impressive physical traits and a shooting stroke that never materialized.
Duval could be slotted into the “raw athlete” category of prospect at this point, as he has terrific length and athleticism for his size (6’3”), but he was never able to put it together during his short college tenure.
Sure, he put on some shows during his freshman year:
But overall, his lack of polish shone through more than any aesthetically pleasing highlight plays.
With all that in mind, Duval is projected to go late in the first round or high in the second, which is exactly where the Hawks will be picking. Duval showed some nifty ballhandling skills, solid finishing and he was also able to produce in isolation – skills that are always in demand at the NBA level.
If Duval is still available at pick 30 or 33, the Hawks should be willing to take flyer on this high-ceiling prospect, as he could be the team’s best bet as a bench sparkplug point guard, or, if he develops even further, the team’s primary ballhandler of the future.
GM Travis Schlenk has already said that the Hawks will be looking to nab the “best player available” with every one of their four picks in the NBA Draft, and Duval’s immense upside at the end of the first round or top of the second would certainly match that criterion.
Kevin Knox
Hamidou Diallo’s teammate Kevin Knox is a tantalizing Kentucky freshman forward who is projected to go in the late lottery. A strong shooter, Knox is also one of the youngest players in this draft, and he will still be 18 when the draft occurs in June – though he will just turn 19 when the season starts proper.
Knox should be able to come into the league and immediately make an impact as a stretch four, as his knockdown jump shooting ability is widely valuable in the NBA’s pace-and-space era. Not only that, but Knox’s innate athleticism and impressive size and bulk means that he projects to be a forceful and switchable defender.
Sure, he didn’t showcase strong instincts on the less glamorous end (nor much effort), but a 51/34/77 slash line from a 6’9”, 215-pound power forward is hard to deny.
Pairing Knox with players on the Hawks current roster makes for some interesting lineups. Shuffling likely First Team All-Rookie member John Collins over to center and letting Knox roam free as a stretch four is a tantalizing prospect, as is having two shooting big men on the floor if Mike Muscala plays the five.
Though it is unlikely that Knox falls all the way to 19, the Hawks would possibly have the steal of the draft at that number if he did.
Zhaire Smith
Though Zhaire Smith out of Texas Tech is projected to be selected in the late lottery, many outlets have him ranked beneath that lofty number. If he falls far enough, the Hawks would do well to add another high-upside, defensive-minded wing to their roster.
When it comes to the draft, selecting the best player available is usually a thinly veiled way of saying “the most athletically gifted player available” – especially when it comes to lottery picks.
Smith would perfectly match this description as he is a nuclear athlete capable of creating momentous highlight plays like this insane 360 dunk in the NCAA Tournament:
Smith can also employ that quick-twitch athleticism in more sound ways as a gifted defensive stopper. The freshman showcased excellent defensive instincts on the perimeter against like-sized players and his skill set could scale up to larger players as well. Smith was the defensive anchor for a Texas Tech that was 4th in defense in Division 1, and his block and steal rates were sky-high – along with an exceedingly low foul rate.
With the requisite length and quickness to guard multiple positions, Smith should make for an eminently switchable wing in the modern NBA’s switch-heavy defensive schemes.
As with many gifted athletic freaks coming out of college, there are questions about his jump shot as well as his passing instincts. His offensive feel is not as polished as his defensive chops, something that a development-focused team (like the Hawks) should be able to work through during his early seasons.
Smith looks to be a top-flight prospect, and it is unknown how high teams have him ranked. If there’s no consensus, however, and he’s still available at 19, the Hawks should not hesitate to select this gifted freshman with a skill set that could make him a defensive savant.
Next: 4 Free Agents in Playoffs Hawks Should Target
Stay tuned for more NBA Draft coverage as it pertains to the Atlanta Hawks, and, don’t forget, the NBA Draft Lottery is less than a week away!