Final Hawks Mock Draft Before the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21

We’ve already expressed interest in the Hawks signing Marcus Smart this offseason, but what if the team were able to find a reasonable facsimile of his skill set in the draft? As an added bonus, what if he was actually a better player on offense? Sounds intriguing, right?

That skill set is exactly what De’Anthony Melton out of USC projects to become. A tremendous defensive player, Melton has an NBA-ready physique and impressive length in a lead ballhandler package. 6-foot-3 with an excellent 6-foot-8 wingspan, Melton has a great motor and a great mentality to be a lockdown defender and is likely switchable across three positions.

On offense, Melton is a stellar pick-and-roll passer, though his scoring in those same actions was somewhat lacking. He also shot sub-30 percent from deep in college, though his mechanics are sound and probably could do with some tuning up at the NBA level.

When he’s off the ball, he puts his athleticism to use by excelling in putback and cut play styles, scoring opportunistically with timely offensive rebounds and fighting for 50/50 balls.

Since Dennis Schröder might not be long for the team, Melton should be able to move into a major role for the team going forward and will hopefully employ his physical tools on the defensive end more than DS17 ever has.

Next: Dear Hawks, Please Don't Pass on Luka Doncic

Melton is projected to be available around this area, though the Hawks might have to flip-flop the Frazier and Melton selections depending on what teams around them do. Either way, Melton is a 20-year-old, high-upside player – exactly what the Hawks are looking for.

Other Options: Jerome Robinson, Trevon Duval, Hamidou Diallo, Justin Jackson