2019 NBA Draft: Atlanta Hawks Come Away with Great Haul in Recent Mock Draft
By Chris Guest
A quick look at a recent 2019 NBA Draft mock-up on Def Pen Hoops that provides a guess on all five first and second round selections for the Atlanta Hawks.
In the 2019 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks hold two top 10 picks in the first round and three picks in the top 15 of the second round (top 45 overall).
With all of that draft ballast, the Hawks will surely be able to find a good mix of talent, positional need, upside and floor outcomes across the first and second round.
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In a recent mock draft by Gabe Esquivel on Def Pen Hoops, the full outline of the Atlanta Hawks’ draft board was outlined with interesting picks made at all five spots on the board.
Per Esquivel’s Def Pen two-round mock draft, this is who he has the Hawks selecting in the 2019 NBA Draft:
#8 Overall: Brandon Clarke
#10 Overall: Cam Reddish
#35 Overall: Louis King
#41 Overall: Shamorie Ponds
#44 Overall: Luguentz Dort
That is certainly an intriguing and upside-laden group of players. Let’s explore them swiftly.
First off, with the first two picks, it seems likely that the draft board will insist that the Atlanta Hawks swap out where Reddish and Clarke are selected – if those are indeed the choices.
We have ourselves previously mocked Clarke and Reddish to the Hawks on multiple occasions in the 2019 NBA Draft, and it’s always good to see someone agree on draft picks.
However, in the second round is where things get interesting. King is a long, lanky shooter out of Oregon who we have previously outlined as one of the best three-point shooters in the 2019 NBA Draft. We know Atlanta Hawks GM Travis Schlenk loves shooting, so that seems like a good fit.
At #41 overall, Def Pen has the Hawks taking Shamorie Ponds to serve as a terrific backup point guard option for Trae Young going forward. Certainly, the drop-off from Young to his fellow rookie backup Jaylen Adams last season was precipitous and Ponds projects to be more immediately impactful.
Lastly, Luguentz Dort of Arizona State is a supremely raw and utterly chiseled swingman prospect that will need to prove he can shoot and defend to get minutes in his first season.
Next. Mock Draft 4.0: Hawks Trade Down with C's, Pick 8, 14 & 22. dark
This is the first of many mock draft reactions on the horizon, so keep it locked to Soaring Down South for plenty more coverage of the 2019 NBA Draft as it relates to the Atlanta Hawks.