2019 NBA Draft: After Anthony Davis Trade, Can Atlanta Hawks Get #4 Pick?
By Chris Guest
A quick look at whether or not the Atlanta Hawks should trade up with the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 NBA Draft after the seismic Anthony Davis trade on Saturday night.
And just like that, the 2018-19 NBA season is over, which means the Atlanta Hawks are looking ahead to the 2019 NBA Draft.
The Toronto Raptors are NBA champions for the first time, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will both miss considerable time next season and, yet, the NBA never stops. As a year-round sport, the offseason is potentially far more interesting than the actual games in the NBA – as the recent news surrounding superstar Anthony Davis would indicate.
Davis was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, which is something that had seemingly been fated for months – especially when the Boston Celtics refused to included Jayson Tatum in trade talks.
In the deal, the Pellies got a veritable treasure chest of future draft picks, including, most importantly to this piece, the #4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Very soon after the trade was completed, rumors began swirling about that pick being potentially moved for more assets:
Teams are already expressing significant interest in the No. 4 overall pick belonging now to the Pelicans, league sources tell ESPN. Talks are expected to continue over the next few days. This deal could get even bigger for the Pelicans.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 15, 2019
Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports went even further, claiming the Atlanta Hawks were one of the main teams interested in nabbing that #4 pick in order to draft Jarrett Culver out of Texas Tech (a player they’ve recently been linked to).
Hearing one of the teams most interested in picking up the #4 pick from Lakers/Pelicans is the Hawks. Atlanta has actively trying to move up by packaging together 2 of their 3 picks. The Hawks really don't want 3 rookies next year with an already very young roster.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 16, 2019
With only four days until the 2019 NBA Draft, there are still many trades to be made, and Atlanta Hawks General Manager Travis Schlenk has shown his willingness to make those deals (as the Taurean Prince trade conveyed).
Though moving up in the draft might not be the best move, Culver is indeed one of the few players in this draft class that would be worth the draft pick investment.
Next. 5 Reasons Hawks Should Trade Up for Jarrett Culver. dark
There is still much to be determined regarding how the Atlanta Hawks (and all teams) will progress in the 2019 NBA Draft. Keep it locked to Soaring Down South for plenty more news and updates on the draft and the Hawks.