It’s time for the second mock draft of the season for the Atlanta Hawks.
At the beginning of the season, it looked as if the Atlanta Hawks would be, as expected, one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Hawks sputtered out of the gate without the team’s most impactful player, John Collins, and only managed a 6-23 record by mid-December.
Since that date, the Hawks are actually, shockingly, above .500 over their past 15 games with a record of 8-7. The team has notched victories over the Wolves, Heat, 76ers and even the mighty Thunder, who they made look like mere mortals en route to a 142-126 trouncing in Atlanta.
Though this heady play is unlikely to last with multiple trade rumors swirling around the team’s veteran players (Kent Bazemore, Dewayne Dedmon and Jeremy Lin), it must be noted that much of the team’s success has come courtesy of its young guns: Collins, Trae Young and Kevin Huerter.
Even players like Daniel Hamilton and the best-ever season for DeAndre’ Bembry have contributed to the team’s success of late.
Of course, the goal of this season for the Atlanta Hawks is success off the court in the 2019 NBA Draft and beyond. With that in mind, let’s explore the team’s mock draft after their recent successes.
#5. Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech
Because the Atlanta Hawks have been winning so much of late, they have decreased their odds to land a top 4 pick. Though, of course, in the end it’s pure chance, but for the purpose of this piece, let’s assume the Hawks stay right where they are at #5 overall.
That’s still a plum spot in the draft order, as there is a strong group of prospects beyond the consensus #1 overall – Zion Williamson. In this mock, the Atlanta Hawks will select Jarrett Culver out of Texas Tech with the 5th overall pick.
Though a sophomore, Culver will only be 20 for half of his rookie season, so he definitely fits into the time line that the Atlanta Hawks are trying to create for themselves with a surplus of young talent.
Culver acquitted himself well against the juggernaut Duke Blue Devils in late December, notching the Red Raiders first 2 points of the evening on a thunderous dunk in traffic. Overall, Culver displayed great touch around the basket, a fluid jumper, terrific athleticism and great size and speed on defense.
On the season, Culver is shooting 37.7 percent from long range, a sky-high 59.5 percent from the field and sub-70 percent from the line. Per-40 minutes, Culver’s numbers are striking: 24.4 PPG, 9 RPG, 5 APG and 1.1 SPG. Though his defensive counting stats are down from his freshman year, Culver is shouldering much more of the offensive load in his sophomore season.
Beyond that, Culver has the size and athleticism to be able to switch across four positions easily, perhaps even across all five in small-ball lineups.
Though the main prizes in this draft are the Duke Big 3 of Zion, R.J. Barrett and Cameron Reddish, Culver would be an excellent consolation prize should the Atlanta Hawks continue to win at a surprising pace.
Other Options: Nassir Little, Romeo Langford, Cam Reddish
#10. Jaxson Hayes, Texas (via Mavericks)
With Dewayne Dedmon likely gone before the end of the season and Alex Len not looking like a long-term starter for the Atlanta Hawks, one clear for the team is a starting center.
Though John Collins can certainly ably play the position, his negative wingspan and sub-seven-foot size means the team will be a sieve on the defensive end. Combined with a less-than-inspiring point guard defender in Trae Young, the team should be looking to add value in the draft by nabbing a high-upside young center prospect who projects to be a fearsome rim protector and roll man.
Enter Jaxson Hayes out of Texas. A lanky, 6-11 center with a whopping 7-foot-3 wingspan and mammoth 10¾-inch hands from tip of pinky to thumb, Hayes is using that length to disrupt opposing drivers to the rim as Texas’s best center option.
Hayes is living up to that role in spades. With a sky-high 12.8 percent block rate that is 5th in the nation, Hayes has piled up 41 total blocks and 2.4 blocks per game in only 21.9 minutes per night. Since he currently has 3.4 fouls per game in that same time frame, it must be noted that Hayes is surely a raw prospect that would need a few years to develop.
Luckily, the Atlanta Hawks have nothing if not time, so Hayes would be an excellent value with the Dallas Mavericks pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Other Options: DeAndre Hunter, Keldon Johnson, Rui Hachimura
#35. Grant Williams, Tennessee
While this might be a cop-out, it’s very hard to choose between the dynamic duo that is leading the Tennessee Volunteers to one of its best seasons in recent memory. The Vols are a juggernaut in the SEC, and Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield are the main reasons why.
We’ve previously expressed interest in the Hawks drafting Schofield due to his hulking frame, great feel, terrific work ethic and defensive versatility (as well as his all-time great name).
However, Grant Williams is having the superior season of the two of them and is putting up stupendous numbers on both sides of the ball. On offense, Tennessee’s offense runs almost solely through Williams, and his great passing vision and quick decision-making leads to a lot of plays in which Williams carves up opposing SEC defense.
Of course, Williams is also a hulking figure on the defensive end that’s fairly fleet of foot for a 6-foot-7, 240-pound bruiser.
After being named the SEC Player of the Year last season with a terrific Tennessee team, Williams has improved across the board this year and has the Vols in serious national title consideration. Williams is playing over 30 minutes a night for the Volunteers, and his per-game production is fairly staggering: 18.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.6 BPG and 1.1 SPG.
His 129.6 offensive rating and 66.5 percent true shooting percentage are both in the Top 35 across the country. If the Vols make a lengthy NCAA Tournament run, expect NBA scouts and draftniks to send Williams soaring in terms of draft stock.
For the Hawks, a big, burly defensive-minded wing/big man hybrid who could serve as the team’s secondary offensive playmaker would be a huge boon.
#40. Simi Shittu, Vanderbilt (via Hornets)
Though the Vanderbilt Commodores are currently winless in conference play, Simisola Shittu has been performing well without the help of five-star recruit Darius Garland, who will be out the rest of the year with a left meniscus injury.
Shittu is a chiseled, NBA-ready athlete that has shown excellent touch around the rim, as well as the ability to handle the ball in space on the perimeter and use his underrated passing ability to carve up defenses that are concerned about him getting to the rim.
Though his three-point stroke is a work in progress (0 of 11 from downtown this season), Shittu is one of Vanderbilt’s better two-way players and his per 40-minute totals bear this out: 19.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.1 SPG and 1.1 BPG.
According to KenPom, Shittu has the highest usage rate on the team at 26.7 percent and he is responsible for taking over a quarter of Vanderbilt’s shots at 25.4 percent.
Beyond that, at 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, Shittu is the team’s center and has the bulk and length to be able to provide serviceable rim protection and roll gravity in that role.
On the Hawks, Shittu would likely play a similar role, though in a lesser function due to the presence of John Collins. However, it must be noted that Shittu is one of the few freshmen that are projected by Tankathon to be available in the second round.
If Shittu is available here, the Atlanta Hawks should not hesitate to snap up a 19-year-old prospect early in the second round.
#46. Darius Bazley (via Lakers)
Similar to Shittu, one might be asking “why is an 18-year-old five-star recruit all the way down at #46 for the Atlanta Hawks?” It’s all about the context.
Bazley had originally agreed to attend Ohio State, then Syracuse, but instead opted to forego a college career and play in the NBA’s G-League, which would be a first for a high-profile young athlete.
However, after some sound advice from people in Bazley’s camp, he reneged on that plan and instead is waiting out this season to prepare for the draft. Though his draft stock might’ve taken a hit, this was a good decision – and one that might be beneficial for the Atlanta Hawks.
Playing in the G-League is no joke, as the players there are veterans of the NBA that are trying to make their way back, overseas vets or other disgruntled players that are hungry to make their name in the league. If an inexperienced high school athlete were to make his way there, he would likely look a newborn fawn in comparison to the grizzled, rugged vets that would aim to clobber him on a daily basis.
Also, Bazley would probably not receive the same zealous coverage that NBA rookies receive in their first season – nor the same benefit of the doubt.
With that being said, if Bazley is available with the #46 pick, the Hawks should not hesitate to make a high-upside, big-money play in the late second round. As a lanky wing with feathery shooting touch, Bazley would likely fit the modern offensive system that Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce is trying to create in Atlanta.
With multiple picks available in the second round for the Hawks (and more likely incoming), why not take a chance on Bazley?
Stats courtesy of College Basketball Reference and KenPom. Draft pick info via Tankathon.