Now that the NBA trade deadline is over, it’s time to explore another Atlanta Hawks Mock Draft.
The Atlanta Hawks were reportedly going to be one of the most active sellers at the trade deadline this season, but instead, teams made some wacky salary-shaving moves and the Eastern Conference “arms race” heated up to a boiling point.
The Hawks made a few minor deals, and the only major loss is Tyler Dorsey, who was long a favorite of this writer. With Dorsey headed to Memphis and the trade deadline in the rearview, it’s time to once again ponder the future of the Atlanta Hawks franchise by exploring who the team might draft come June.
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Since our last mock, the Hawks have continued their (surprising) winning ways and pushed themselves into a tier mostly by themselves in terms of lottery odds. The four worst teams in the league: New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls are all within 2 games of one another in the “race for Zion Williamson.”
From there, the Hawks are 8 games behind the Knicks (losers of 14 straight games) in lottery position and 6 games behind the Bulls for fourth-best odds. The closest teams to the Hawks are the Grizzlies at 22-34 (3 games behind the Hawks in the tanking race) and the Wizards at 22-32.
Memphis will likely be tanking their brains out for the rest of the season, but the Wizards are (maybe?) trying to still be relevant – though they did trade away franchise cornerstone Otto Porter.
With all these machinations in place, let’s take a look at the five interesting prospects that the Atlanta Hawks might draft in the 2019 NBA Draft in June.
#5 Jaxson Hayes
In our previous mock draft, we had the Atlanta Hawks selecting Jaxson Hayes out of Texas with the 10th overall pick, but since that time many outlets, NBA writers and draft gurus have increased their stock in Hayes and pushed him slightly higher up on boards.
While this might be a bit of a stretch to take Hayes this high up in the draft, we know that Hawks General Manager Travis Schlenk is willing to perform a few shenanigans in this range – as his Luka Doncic/Trae Young trade would indicate during last year’s draft.
Hayes’s shot-blocking and rim-running profile make him one of the most prototypical centers in the draft, though his fluid footwork and immense wingspan and hand size all combine to create a tantalizing prospect that might be worth a Top 5 pick if the Hawks are unable to move up in the lottery.
According to KenPom, Hayes has the sixth-highest offensive rating in the country at 135.7 due to his penchant for finishing off lobs and using his length and craftiness around the basket to get incredibly easy looks.
No one trick pony, Hayes’s 12.1 percent block rate ranks 10th in the country according to KenPom, meaning the Hawks might be able to fill their natural center need on both offense and defense with one draft selection.
Hayes is also only 18 years old, only turning 19 after the draft has been completed. A high-upside selection, Hayes would be a good fit for this team going forward.
#12 Jontay Porter
Jontay Porter out of Missouri had initially planned to join the draft with his brother Michael Porter Jr., and the younger Porter was already slated as a near-lottery pick in the 2018 Draft.
Fast-forward one year, and Porter suffered a torn ACL in the preseason and has missed the entirety of this season as he prepares for the 2019 NBA Draft.
Amazing feel, high basketball IQ, great passing vision and a silky-smooth three-point jumper typify the Atlanta Hawks’ case for taking Porter despite his injury suffered in the preseason. As other teams will see with Darius Garland, a major injury does very little to affect a prospect’s value in the draft – unless the medicals come back not as rosy as expected.
Defensively, there are definitely question marks, which are mostly related to his athleticism. Though fairly quick, he tends to get lost on the perimeter and NBA guards would most likely roast him at the next level without the right coaching.
None of that should matter for the Hawks. With Porter in the fold as a sweet-shooting near-seven-footer who can pick-and-pop, initiate offense in the high post, read defenses in transition and score efficiently around the basket due to quick feet and soft hands, Atlanta’s young core would get yet another boost to its already strong foundation.
#35 Admiral Schofield
While Grant Williams out of Tennessee would also be a great pick here, it seems that teams are starting to realize how special he is after he’s been ascending up draft boards following some spectacular performances in conference play with the Volunteers.
Though Williams is getting much of the shine for good reason, his teammate, the incredibly named Admiral Schofield, also deserves respect and draft shine from an NBA team in the second round, and my dream is that the Atlanta Hawks reach for him at the top of the second round.
A 6-foot-6, 240-pound tank with shoulders the size of cantaloupes, Schofield is definitely a sight to behold. A versatile defender who has been comfortable switching all season for the #1-ranked Volunteers, Schofield is a career 37.6 percent shooter from distance, and he’s currently sitting at a career-high 40 percent notch from deep on nearly 5 attempts per game.
Overall his 49/40/75 slash line belies an efficient scorer, and his 26 percent usage rate shows that he is comfortable serving as the number one option – but he also lets the team’s slightly better player (Williams) work his magic as well.
Schofield’s most impressive performance of the season came against the then-ranked #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs. After Williams fouled out, Schofield put the Vols on his back and drilled improbable three after improbable three on the way to an upset victory.
Since that game, Tennessee is undefeated.
A natural leader who would be an older rookie, Schofield would be an excellent culture-setter for the Atlanta Hawks.
#44 Carsen Edwards
With Tyler Dorsey gone and Jeremy Lin likely not with the team next year, the Atlanta Hawks need a bench guard and “microwave scorer” to spell Trae Young and Kevin Huerter. Enter Purdue’s Carsen Edwards.
A big-time scorer and usage sponge, Edwards is anchoring the 10th-ranked team according to KenPom and has led the Boilermakers to a 9-2 record in conference play, including a sterling upset victory over the Michigan State Spartans.
Edwards also dueled with likely lottery pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker earlier in the season, and he threw down a ferocious dunk in traffic that showcased his bounce and impressive athleticism.
Though undersized at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Edwards is fairly stout and his strength and thickness should hopefully allow him to hold up better inside the arc than outside it.
A career 37 percent three-point shooter, Edwards is hoisting over 10 attempts per game for Purdue this season, and his percentage of possession ranks 11th (34.8%) in the country, while his percentage of team shots ranks 7th (37.1%), both according to KenPom.
A thirsty shot taker might not sound like the best fit for the Atlanta Hawks, but the team can sometime fall into the nasty habit of overpassing – something that Edwards does not lean towards. Despite being the primary initiator for Purdue, his assist percentage of 22 and 3.5 assists per game are quite low.
#45 Naz Reid
A vaunted prospect, Naz Reid out of LSU has not had the breakout season of many others during this college season.
Even in his own conference, Grant Williams at Tennessee has rocketed up draft boards due to his all-around effectiveness on both offense and defense and his quiet, understated leadership for one of the best teams in the country.
LSU, which is 21st in the country in KenPom rankings and currently sits second in the SEC behind the juggernaut Volunteers and the resurgent Kentucky Wildcats, has been employing Reid at both center and power forward – something that the Atlanta Hawks are certainly comfortable with after drafting John Collins and Omari Spellman.
While Reid might not be the best fit due to the presence of both of those bigs on the roster already, Reid’s skill set and impressively high upside should not be dismissed if he is still on the board this late in the second round.
A solid shooter with a 50/39/75 slash line, Reid is also a stunning physical specimen at 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, but with the nimbleness and agility of a guard. Reid has some ballhandling skills and his 38.9 percent clip from long-range should raise some eyebrows in the Hawks’ draft room. We know GM Travis Schlenk likes shooting, so Reid might be a good fit in the mid-second round.
Keep it locked to Soaring Down South for plenty more coverage of the NBA Draft as the Hawks continue their quest for a terrific young core.
Statistics courtesy of KenPom and Sports Reference, draft position courtesy of Tankathon. Both current as of 2-8-19.