An in-depth look at what the Atlanta Hawks draft board might look like as we head into the offseason.
As the season winds all the way down and the dregs of April’s slate of games is finally completed, the real season (for many teams) begins in earnest. No, I’m not talking about the Playoffs – though those, of course, are very important for the team’s that have actually made the cutoff.
No, the season I’m referring to is the mad dash to the draft lottery and the incredible buildup to what will likely be one of the most impactful lotteries in NBA history.
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With the draft odds flattened, the top 3 teams all have an identical 14 percent chance at landing the #1 overall pick. Looking further down the projected draft board at Tankathon, even the #7 overall “seed” in terms of draft position has a 7.5 percent chance at the #1 pick.
Suffice to say, this draft lottery has the potential to make or break the future of franchises around the league. Of course, in what is widely believed to be a “one-player draft,” at least in terms of generation-defining talent, every team and every team’s fanbase is hoping that the basketball gods shine upon them and the ping-pong balls fall just right.
After two straight terrific drafts, Atlanta Hawks fans have high hopes for their team’s General Manager, Travis Schlenk, in delivering an influx of young talent to a Hawks team that is on the verge of big things in the coming years.
In this piece, I explore what the team’s thinking should be heading into draft day. This is neither a mock draft nor a list of the best players in the draft in order, but rather a big board based on what the Atlanta Hawks needs are going forward. As such, no point guards are on this list.
Let’s start with the utterly predictable first player on this Atlanta Hawks 2019 NBA Draft Big Board.