The Atlanta Hawks have known for months where they would select in the mid-to-late first round, and after the NBA Draft Lottery, they finally know where their own pick will land to start the 2018 NBA Draft.
Though the 2018 draft class is not quite as deep and talented as the astonishingly terrific 2017 class, there are still multiple players the Atlanta Hawks could take with the 19th overall pick that will be cornerstone players for the franchise for years to come.
Who the team selects with the 3rd overall pick will likely determine what prospect gets the call with the team’s 19th overall selection, but the 7 players outlined in this story are all solid choices regardless of who the team grabs with their own first round selection.
The Hawks should be in “best player available” mode in this draft, as they were running at a tremendous talent deficit during the 2017-18 season against almost every other team. Replenishing their roster with young, high-upside players will help the team grow organically in every facet of the game.
Khyri Thomas
A gifted defender, Khyri Thomas out of Creighton projects to be a prototypical three-and-D wing… but in a guard’s body. Though Thomas is only 6’3”, his 6’10” wingspan and immaculate defensive instincts mean he will be a terror on the less glamorous end.
His ball-hawking on-ball defense and aptitude for jumping passing lanes should make him one of the best perimeter defenders in this class.
With great length, solid quickness and a thick, muscular frame, Thomas also performs well in transition on the offensive end and his above-40 percent clip from three-point range coupled with a 44 percent three-point attempt rate means he didn’t venture too far outside of his comfort zone on offense.
The Hawks would gladly take a lockdown perimeter defender with the 19th pick, as new coach Lloyd Pierce has said that defense will be his focus upon beginning his head coaching career. Though Thomas is a little bit on the older side (22 years old on draft day), that didn’t stop the team from nabbing Taurean Prince with the 12th pick two years ago.
Shake Milton
Though we originally had the Hawks taking Shake Milton with the 30th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, his stock has risen considerably after some striking measurements at the NBA Draft Combine.
Milton lacks the tremendous quickness required of elite defenders, but he should be able to employ his plus length and generally impressive athleticism to affect perimeter players beyond the three-point line and at the point of attack.
Milton’s main strength on the offensive end comes courtesy of his excellent three-point stroke. The numbers are eye-popping: Milton shot 43.4% from downtown on a nearly 50% three-point attempt rate (47%). He also recognized where his strengths were, as 33% of his offensive possessions came via the spot-up shot.
A good passer in the pick-and-roll and a lethal off-screen shooter, Milton should immediately have a tailormade NBA role, and one that the Hawks would gladly embrace.
Jontay Porter
Though his positioning has fluctuated throughout the pre-draft process, Michael Porter Jr.’s younger brother, Jontay Porter, will likely be one of the youngest players in this draft class after he reclassified following his junior year of high school in order to join Michael at Missouri.
We have our issues with Michael Porter Jr., which we have outlined here, but his brother is another question entirely, as he has a lot of upside due to his age and terrific basketball IQ.
Clearly undersized for a big man, if Porter develops his promising jump shot, he could become a new-age Al Horford, though he might lack Al’s ability to guard smaller players. Porter showed nice touch from the mid-range during his lone college season, and he is also a terrific passer from all over the court.
As a strong defensive rebounder, Porter’s skills on the boards could match up well with John Collins as well as make up for the likely loss of Dewayne Dedmon in free agency.
Porter is still mistake-prone (committing costly turnovers and a little too quick to foul), but any 18-year-old would be, so he should age out of those issues.
With the Hawks looking for upside, Porter’s raw but extremely impressive tools should be high on their radar when they select 19th.
Lonnie Walker IV
We have sung the praises of Lonnie Walker IV out of Miami before, boldly proclaiming that he could become the next Donovan Mitchell, and scouts and draft pundits have also taken notice of Walker’s explosive athleticism and unique skill set as he has rocketed up draft boards in recent weeks leading up to the draft.
Though the Hawks will have to develop him correctly if he makes it all the way down to 19th, Walker projects to be an exceedingly high-ceiling, low-floor prospect at the next level.
He showed some spaciness and a lack of effort at times in college, but that shouldn’t be an issue once he makes it to the NBA, and is able to leverage his athleticism into easy looks at the rim and from deep.
With a projectable and rock-solid shooting form, Walker should develop into a knockdown shooter as a lead ballhandler. Of course, his handle needs to be tightened up a bit and his passing is lacking, but Walker’s physical gifts are too impressive to deny.
Similar to Spida Mitchell, if Walker can ace the interview process with the Hawks, the team should be happy to take him with the 19th pick.
Troy Brown
A versatile prospect, Troy Brown out of Oregon could fill a variety of roles with the Hawks if he were still available with the 19th selection.
With good size, excellent athleticism and a great wingspan, Brown could prove to be a secondary ballhandler in the Hawks’ future – especially if Kent Bazemore were to leave via a trade to a playoff contender.
A terrific defender, Brown has the instincts and athleticism to be supremely switchable for the Hawks across at least three positions, though he doesn’t have the size or strength to switch onto larger players.
A multifaceted offensive player, Brown did not impress with his shooting stroke during his lone college season, shooting only 44% from the floor. His shooting mechanics are sound though, which means that some solid coaching could aid Brown in his quest to find a role on the offensive end.
Though most of Brown’s possessions came via spot-up shooting opportunities, he was also Oregon’s backup pick-and-roll ballhandler, which, again, should allow for a secondary skill set opportunity for the Hawks to develop if he were to drop to 19.
Jalen Brunson
Much has been said of Jalen Brunson out of Villanova, who was the consensus player of the year in the 2017-18 NCAA basketball season.
A supremely talented and efficient scorer from all three levels, Brunson was a dominant force during his three seasons in college, using extremely skillful finishing to score efficiently and prolifically.
With Dennis Schröder likely on the move after expressing dissatisfaction with the direction of the Hawks franchise, selecting Brunson at 19th for the Hawks might be something of a stretch, or it might be the perfect place for him.
Sure, the Hawks will likely be looking for a home run with all of their picks in the first round in 2018, but why not select an extremely “safe” prospect like Brunson in order to steady the team’s less-experienced young players and prospects?
Otherworldly feel is Brunson’s claim to fame, but the question remains: Will his lack of athleticism ruin his chances in the NBA? Steady backup one Fred VanVleet would say no, as he got himself into the running for Sixth Man of the Year this season with rock-solid and mistake-free backup point guard play.
GM Travis Schlenk will have to decide if Brunson’s stupendous college career is a good-enough indicator of upside in today’s NBA.
Though Brunson would make for an interesting selection at 19th overall for the Hawks, a playoff-bound team lacking a steady backup point guard or (even starting point guard) would likely be a better fit for the decorated Villanova veteran.
Keita Bates-Diop
Our final choice for the Hawks to take at 19th overall is Keita Bates-Diop out of Ohio State. After some stupendous measurements at the NBA Draft Combine, Bates-Diop will likely rise up most draft boards throughout the league.
Though he will be one of the oldest players in the draft (22 ½ years old on draft day), his versatile skill set and apparent talent on both ends of the floor would be hard for the Hawks to pass up at 19th overall.
The ability to score from all three levels on offense and defend multiple positions on defense make Bates-Diop a valuable commodity for any team. With excellent feel, defensive instincts and basketball IQ, KBD would be an immediate perimeter upgrade for the Hawks, upping the team’s talent quotient by a notable margin.
Next: Hawks Mock Draft After the NBA Draft Lottery
Similar to Brunson, Bates-Diop’s age and ceiling might scare away some Hawks fans, but if Schlenk and the Hawks office are looking for a surefire selection with the 19th pick in the draft, Bates-Diop would be an excellent choice for a Hawks team looking for as much talent as possible in the 2018 NBA Draft.