Atlanta Hawks Mock Draft Before March Madness

#44 – Sagaba Konate

In the 2019 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks are slated to have 3 second-round picks. They had only one last season, which they traded to the Charlotte Hornets. In hindsight, of course, the team would’ve probably been better served by drafting Mitchell Robinson 35th overall, who was taken one pick later by the New York Knicks, and he has been one of the team’s best players this season – if not the single best.

Instead, the Hawks took Devonte’ Graham 34th overall and traded him to the Hornets for two future second-rounders. In this draft, it seems likely that Atlanta will do something similar or draft an unheralded international prospect for a draft-and-stash opportunity.

With three second-rounders, there is also the opportunity to include those in a deal for a more established younger player currently in the league or for future draft picks.

If the Atlanta Hawks keep the pick, taking a chance on West Virginia’s Sagaba Konate makes sense too. A talented defender who only played 8 games for the West Virginia Mountaineers this year, Konate would help create the defensive mindset the team needs going forward if its two major offensive cornerstones are noted defensive negatives John Collins and Trae Young.

In his 8 games, Konate put up sterling stats by per-36 minutes: 20.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 4.1 blocks and 1.1 steals, according to Tankathon.com.

Again, there’s no telling what Atlanta Hawks GM Travis Schlenk will do in the 2019 NBA Draft, as who could’ve foreseen the team trading Luka Doncic for Trae Young? Either way, the draft lottery can’t get here soon enough.

With less than 20 games left in the NBA’s regular season and two weeks until March Madness starts, stay tuned for plenty more draft coverage on Soaring Down South.