Fixing the last eight drafts for the Atlanta Hawks.
The Atlanta Hawks had a very successful 2010’s decade, making the playoffs nearly every year and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals with a franchise-best 60 wins in 2015.
Most of their players during that run were not drafted by the team. Paul Millsap, Kent Bazemore, Demarre Carroll, Kyle Korver, and Thabo Sefolosha all were major contributors in those successful ’10’s Hawks teams and were all brought in via trade or free agency.
Al Horford and Jeff Teague, which were drafted by Atlanta, were both important mainstays of those teams but were drafted in the late 2000s. Before the Hawks hit the rebuild button in 2017, only one draft pick (Dennis Schröder) made a major impact.
They also added role players Mike Muscala and Mike Scott in the draft which were good second-round selections. Overall, however, they were just not great at drafting, and it may have killed a potential dynasty in Atlanta.
Since Travis Schlenk has taken over as GM, the Hawks have been doing much better in June, bringing in John Collins, Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter in the past few years.
Here we’ll be putting ourselves in the GM seat and going into the past to correct mistakes. Starting with the 2012 draft, we’ll make the ‘best’ selection with hindsight and slowly move into the present day.
Let’s get re-drafting for the Atlanta Hawks.
2012 Re-Draft
Round one, pick 23:
Original Pick: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
New Pick: Draymond Green, PF, Michigan State
The 2012 draft class was very top-heavy, and outside of Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal and Anthony Davis, didn’t produce a ton of superstars. One player, Draymond Green, fell to the second round and ended up being a fantastic defensive forward for the Warriors.
Green has been vocal about his slip into the second-round and came name all 34 players drafted ahead of him.
With the Dubs, the Michigan State product has won three NBA titles, been on five All-Defense teams and made three All-Star teams.
Meanwhile, John Jenkins played just three years for the Hawks and was never particularity effective on either side of the court. He bounced around a few teams after that and played on the Wizards and Knicks last season. Jenkins currently plays in the Israeli Premier League.
Draymond is a huge what-if for the Atlanta Hawks and while he wouldn’t have been a perfect fit with Josh Smith and Al Horford in the frontcourt, he would have shown enough tenacity to get minutes right off the bat.
Round two, pick 43:
Original Pick: Mike Scott, PF, Virginia
New Pick: Mike Scott, PF, Virginia
The Hawks got it right with the 43rd overall pick, and Mike Scott has made himself a nice career as a journeyman role player. In his second year with the Hawks, Scott had his breakout season, averaging nearly 10 points and 20 minutes per game.
He spent five years with the Hawks and has since played for the Wizards, Clippers, and Sixers, starting 10 games for the latter this season.
It’s worth noting that the 2012 second-round was pretty stacked, and outside of Green and Scott also featured notable players like Jae Crowder, Khris Middleton, Tomáš Satoranský, Darius Miller, Kyle O’Quinn and Will Barton.
2013 NBA Draft
Round one, pick 16:
Original Pick: Lucas Nogueira, C, Brazil
New Pick: Rudy Gobert, C, France
The Hawks were close, taking one International center instead of the other. Lucas Nogueira never suited up for the Hawks and his draft rights were traded to the Raptors for basically nothing a few years later, while Rudy Gobert has become an All-Star. The two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year has been rock solid in a center-heavy draft, emerging as the top big man.
Gobert has been a constant force protecting the rim since being selected by Utah and could have brought that energy to a Hawks team already known for their defensive might.
Luckily, the Hawks had two first-round picks in 2013, and the second one went better than this one.
Round one, pick 17:
Original Pick: Dennis Schröder, PG, Germany
New Pick: Dennis Schröder, PG, Germany
Yeah, you can make the case for Mason Plumlee (pick 22) or future Hawk Tim Hardaway Jr (24) here, but given that I said this was the Atlanta Hawks’ only good pick in the Intro, I’ll let them have this one.
Dennis the menace had an up-and-down five-year tenure with the Hawks and showed enough promise to eventually be given the keys to the offense when the team traded Jeff Teague in 2016.
Schröder appeared in 352 games for Atlanta (if you’re counting at home, that’s 352 more than Nogueira did), and was a constant scoring threat. He was arguably the Hawks’ best player on the 2016-2017 team and was definitely their best player in the next season.
He’s moved on, and has seemed to find his role as the sixth man in OKC, and will continue competing for the Sixth man of the Year award if/when NBA play resumes.
Round two, pick 44:
Original Pick: Mike Muscala, C, Bucknell
New Pick: Robert Covington, SF, Tennessee State
Sorry, moose. Muscala was a good bench center and a fan favorite in Atlanta and was perhaps the best player to come out of the second round of the draft. There were some really talented players who went undrafted, however, including current Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon, Seth Curry, and the pick here, Robert Covington.
Covington played seven games as an undrafted rookie for Houston back in 2014 but didn’t break out until being handed a starting role on the ‘Trust the Process’ Sixers teams. He transformed into a fantastic perimeter defender, adding a three-pointer to become one of the league’s best 3-and-D wings.
He made the 2017-2018 All-Defensive team and has averaged over 1.5 steals per game in his career.
2014 NBA Draft
Round one, pick 15:
Original Pick: Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State
New Pick: Nikola Jokić, C, Serbia OR Jordan Clarkson, PG, Missouri
Looking back, Payne may have been the Hawks’ worst selection of the decade, even taking into account that Lucas Nogueira never suited up for the team. Payne didn’t do much better than him, playing just three games before being traded to Minny. They got a protected first-round pick back from the T-Wolves, which ended up being Kevin Huerter, so that’s nice.
Still, with the Hawks looking to go all-in on contending in 2014-2015 (the year they won 60 games) an impact rookie could have really made a difference. That’s why I had both Jokic and Clarkson above.
Jokic is obviously a better player and a potential MVP candidate nowadays, but Clarkson had a fantastic rookie season, providing instant impact and making the All-Rookie first team. Jokic didn’t come to the NBA until 2015, and obviously wouldn’t have made an instant impact, but would have been the best long-term pick.
Meanwhile, Payne played just 107 career games in the NBA and is now a teammate of top 2020 draft prospect Théo Maledon in France.
Round two, pick 43:
Original Pick: Walter Tavares, C, Cape Verde
New Pick: Khem Birch, C, UNLV
The 2014 class was not very deep, but Birch would have been a nice find for the Atlanta Hawks. He played a few seasons overseas after going undrafted and got his chance in 2017 with the Magic. Since, he’s made himself into a modest player and has appeared in 40 games for Orlando this season, starting 24.
Outside of the seven players drafted to never check into an NBA game, Walter Tavares has played in the least amount of games of anyone drafted (13) in 2014.
Round two, pick 48:
Original Pick: Lamar Patterson, SG, Pittsburgh
New Pick: Langston Galloway, PG, Saint Joseph’s
Grabbing another player out of the undrafted bin, the Hawks draft Langston Galloway, who has become a serviceable backup point guard. He started 41 games as a rookie for a very bad New York Knicks team and has put up solid numbers since.
Before the season was suspended, he was averaging 25.8 minutes per game for the Detroit Pistons this year.
2015 NBA Draft
Note: The Atlanta Hawks traded their first-round pick to Washington in a three-team trade that landed the Hawks Tim Hardaway Jr.
Round two, pick 50:
Original Pick: Marcus Eriksson, SG, Sweeden
New Pick: Quinn Cook, PG, Duke
The Hawks took two International players in the second-round, neither of which ever played a lick of NBA ball. Here, they should have selected Quinn Cook, who has become a prominent member of both the contending Warriors and Lakers.
Cook won a ring with Golden State in 2018 after appearing in 33 games, starting 18. He had a similar role on last year’s Warriors team and this year with the Lakers. Overall he’s played in 159 games during his career, more than all but seven players drafted in the second round.
Round two, pick 59:
Original Pick: Dimitrios Agravanis, PF, Greece
New Pick: Christian Wood, UNLV
Christian Wood has bounced around from team to team since going undrafted, and his stint with the Pistons this year has been his fifth team in four years.
He’s broke out in Detroit this year however and has earned a long-term deal with them or any other team in free agency.
The 24-year-old forward has averaged 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds in 62 games this season.
2016 NBA Draft
Round one, pick 12:
Original Pick: Taurean Prince, SF, Baylor
New Pick: Pascal Siakam, PF, New Mexico State
Taurean Prince was alright for the Hawks, showed a glimpse of star potential during the ’17-’18 season. He’s failed to improve much since then, however, while Pascal Siakam has improved rapidly since being drafted 27th by Toronto.
He won Most Improved Player a season ago, helping the Raptors win their first title, and this year made (and started) his first All-Star Game. Before the season was suspended he was averaging 23.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Toronto.
Taurean Prince ended up being a nice trade piece for Atlanta, who got two first-round picks from Brooklyn for him, using those to move up in last year’s draft and to land Clint Capela this year.
Siakam likely would have not been traded, however, and even with the Hawks’ young core, Siakam could be leading them to the playoffs currently.
Round one, pick 21:
Original Pick: DeAndre’ Bembry, SF, Saint Joseph’s
New Pick: Malcolm Brogdon, PG, Virginia
Malcolm shocked everyone in 2017, becoming the first second-rounder to ever win Rookie of the Year. Part of that was due to a ho-hum draft class, but Brogdon was also very good for a young Bucks team.
He hasn’t broken out to be an All-Star or anything, but he’s been a consistently good player who’s currently in the middle of his best season, now with the Pacers.
Bembry has been ‘fine’ with the Hawks and has at least showed effort on the defensive end. His offensive woes outweigh those, however, and with the drafting of Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter, I have a hard time seeing the Hawks re-sign him in restricted free agency this summer.
Round two, pick 44:
Original Pick: Isaïa Cordinier, G, France
New Pick: Fred VanVleet, PG, Wichita State
Fred VanVleet famously turned down two offers to be drafted to go undrafted and play for the Raptors, but maybe the Hawks could have convinced him here. He’s slowly transformed into a near-elite scorer and has always had a nice court vision for assists.
The Hawks instead drafted Cordinier, who has yet to play in the league. His draft rights were traded along with a second-round pick to the Nets for Jeremy Lin, and the Nets have held onto them. He’s still just 24 so perhaps one day we’ll see him.
2017 NBA Draft
Round one, pick 19:
Original pick: John Collins, PF, Wake Forest
New Pick: John Collins, PF, Wake Forest
The Hawks got a steal with the 19th pick, and John Collins has played like a star since being given a starting spot in Atlanta. The emphatic rim-runner has specifically put up All-Star numbers since returning from suspension this season, averaging 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
Only three players (Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, and Jayson Tatum) have produced more win shares from the draft, and no one has averaged more rebounds per game than JC. Collins had to slide in the draft a bit for the Hawks to take him (most mocks had him in the late-lottery), and Atlanta fans are sure glad he did.
Round two, pick 41:
Original Pick: Tyler Dorsey, SG, Oregon
New Pick: Dillon Brooks, SG, Oregon
Dorsey and Brooks were two of four Oregon Ducks to be drafted in the second round, and all four went within a span of eight picks.
Brooks looks to be having the best career of the four, and potentially the best career of anyone drafted in the second round.
He’s played meaningful minutes from day one in Memphis, appearing in all 82 games as a rook, and after an injury kept him out of all but 18 games last year, was the Grizzlies’ starting shooting guard this season.
Round two, pick 60:
Original Pick: Alpha Kaba, PF, France
New Pick: Luke Kornet, C, Vanderbilt
With the pick being the final one of the draft, the Hawks have to go digging the undrafted pile to redo this pick. There weren’t as many studs in the undrafted class as there was in the recent past, but Kornet has become a respectable player and routine member of the Bulls’ rotation.
He’s averaged 16.4 minutes across his three-year run with Chicago, starting a handful of games and averaging 6.6 points.
2018 NBA Draft
Round one, pick 5:
Original Pick: Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma
New Pick; Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma
Now I don’t want to make this a Luka vs. Trae debate, but there would be some second thoughts if the Hawks could redo the pick.
Do I think that Luka Doncic is a better player than Trae Young? Perhaps. Do I think the combination of Trae Young and Cam Reddish (who the Hawks took with the pick Dallas sent them to move up) will be better than just Luka Doncic in the future? Also perhaps.
Still, it’s so rare for a win-win trade to happen in the NBA these days, and who am I to take away one. Young has starred since shaking off a rough few weeks to open his career and started the All-Star game as a sophomore. That’s impressive.
He’s second in the league in both total points and total assists, averaging 29.6 and 9.3, respectively. The three-point sniper has been asked to consistently take and make his own shots, and Trae’s delivered.
Round one, pick 19:
Original Pick: Kevin Huerter, SG, Maryland
New Pick: Kevin Huerter, SG, Maryland
I was tempted to take Josh Okogie, Mitchell Robinson or Landry Shamet here, but I’ll stick with red velvet for now.
Huerter has started alongside Trae basically since being drafted and was instantly a dynamic three-point shooter. He’s made 38 percent of his threes in his career thus far, shooting over six attempts per game this season.
His defense comes and goes, but his offense is consistent, and while he may lose his starting spot, should be a rotational piece going forward for the Atlanta Hawks.
Round one, pick 30:
Original Pick: Omari Spellman, PF, Villanova
New Pick: Mitchell Robinson, C, Western Kentucky
I originally had the Hawks taking Devonte’ Graham here, but the Hawks need interior defensive more than they need more three point-scoring. Mitchell has been a dominant rim-protector since entering the league as the 36th pick and has blocked 280 shots in his 127 games for the Knicks.
He can’t do much else, although his scoring and rebounding are improving, but the Hawks would have gotten an elite interior defender that hopefully, Clint Capela will now provide.
Meanwhile, Omari Spellman is on his third team in not even two years of NBA play, although he has yet to suit up for the T-Wolves.
2019 NBA Draft/Rookie Roundup
I thought it would be unfair to redraft the 2019 draft, which happened less than a year ago. As we’ve seen with Cam Reddish this year, rookies need varying amounts of time to adjust to the league, and fit is just as important.
For example, while Tyler Herro has been a better player than De’Andre Hunter in a bubble, the Hawks would still rather have Hunter who’s proven to be a better defender, which the Hawks need much more than perimeter scoring.
Instead, I wanted to do a quick recap of the three Atlanta Hawks’ rookies and seeing how they did in their first season.
Round one, pick 4: De’Andre Hunter
Hunter was the Atlanta Hawks’ highest draft pick since taking Al Horford third overall in 2007. He has been solid yet inconsistent, showing up some nights but doing an impression of ‘The Invisible Man’ the next.
He’s been a workhorse for Atlanta, staring 62 of the 63 games he’s appeared in, leading all rookies in minutes per game with 32.0. He’s been the Hawks’ third-leading scorer since Jabari Parker left the team, averaging 12.3 points on 41 percent shooting.
His three has heated up as the season’s progressed, making 42 percent from deep since January 26th. His calling card out of Virginia was his tough defense, and that has transitioned nicely into the league.
With some more time polishing both ends of his game, Hunter should become an elite 3-and-D forward for years to come.
Round one, pick 10: Cam Reddish
The renaissance of Cam Reddish has been well-documented, so I’ll save you the specifics. Basically, he was bad — really bad — throughout the first few months of the season, but has slowly progressed into a top rookie.
Since January 1st, Reddish has averaged 13.3 points, 1.1 steals and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 40 percent from three.
Even when his shot wasn’t falling early in the year, Reddish was playing good perimeter defense and that has only improved. If you don’t include Clint Capela who has yet to suit up for Atlanta, Cam is probably the best overall defender on the team.
Round two, pick 34: Bruno Fernando
The Hawks gave up three second-rounders to move up and take Fernando in last year’s draft, who has been so-so this season. The Maryland center probably should have spent a few weeks in the G-League, but with the Hawks’ thin roster, he was getting playing time in the NBA from the start.
He’s averaged 12.7 minutes in 56 games played this year, and has been streaky offensively. He’s made over 60 percent of his two-point attempts but continues to take deep shots despite shooting just 13 percent from three.
On defense, he’s been more sturdy, but there’s also room for improvement. He’s never going to rack up big block numbers but can be intimidating down low, especially against smaller guards. He has the best defensive rating of any active Hawk.
Bruno has been disappointing, but not enough that the Hawks have to panic trade him or anything this offseason. He’ll have his chance and just needs to polish his game.
The Atlanta Hawks will carry the 4th-best lottery odds into the summer, and hitting on this pick could finally dig them out of the rebuilding hole.