Atlanta Hawks Draft: 3 First Round Talents Who Could Fall to 52nd Pick

Finding three promising NBA Draft prospects who could fall to the Atlanta Hawks’ 52nd overall pick.

Before the trade deadline, the Atlanta Hawks were set to have two picks in the 2020 NBA Draft, both in the first round. In the four-team, 12-player mega-trade that landed Clint Capela in Atlanta, the Hawks included the first they owned from the Nets but received a second-rounder from the Rockets.

While it could do a bit of moving in either direction depending on how Houston fares in Orlando, the pick currently stands at 52nd overall. The number of studs taken in the final half of the second-round is so minimal that it’s hard to get too excited about it, but there are some first-rounders who could slide into the Hawks’ lap here.

Every year there is a top prospect who slides down for whatever reason. Last year we had Bol Bol, who some people (including myself) thought the Hawks could take with the 10th overall pick. With injury and physicality question marks being too big for GMs to overcome, Bol eventually was taken with the 44th overall pick.

Bruno Fernando also fits this mold as well, as he went from a fringe lottery pick to the 33rd pick by the Hawks.

Here we’ll be finding 3 2020 NBA Draft prospects who have first-round talent but could fall to the Atlanta Hawks’ second-round pick.

3. Desmond Bane

This would be great. Bane checks a lot of boxes for the Atlanta Hawks: he can shoot, defend, and is one of the most pro-ready guards in the draft. The latter actually is the way he could fall in the draft, as the TCU senior will be 22 years old come draft night.

There’s a lot of mileage on Bane already as well, as he played over 4,200 minutes across four seasons in college. His ceiling is low but could be a sturdy role player from day one in the NBA.

Bane is all over internet mock drafts, going as high as 18 in Rookie Wire’s mock and as low as 59 in ESPN’s (subscription required) mock. I had him 23rd on the Atlanta Hawks big board.

2. Paul Reed

Another player that I’m high on, Paul Reed has been in the first round of all four of my mock drafts thus far. I love Reed’s defensive motor and finishing skills and love his potential fit with the Hawks.

Reed is seen as more of a fringe first-rounder by others, however, with most mocks having him somewhere in the 20-40 range. He went 51st in ESPN’s mock and 40th on SI.com’s. 

I had him ranked 21st on the Hawks’ big board and would be ecstatic if he could fall to the 52nd pick.

1. Tre Jones

Just like Paul Reed, I’m higher on Jones’ than most and have already pitched the idea of the Atlanta Hawks traded back to select Jones around the late first already. Jones, despite being the ACC Player of the Year and being the best player on perennial powerhouse Duke, Jones’ height and offensive downfalls keep him out of the first for some.

He’s often placed in the 30s, sometimes creeping in the 20s and other times falling to the 40s. If he can dip already down to the 52nd hole, the Atlanta Hawks should jump on him without hesitation.

Jones can be a defensive force in the NBA and has proved to run a winning offense with poise. Both of those make him a great target to be Trae Young‘s backup, and at 52nd overall, that’s a great value.