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Atlanta Hawks NBA Draft: 5 prospects to target with the 20th pick

By Joshua Buckhalter

April 5, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baylor Bears guard Jared Butler (12) in the second half during the national championship game in the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
April 5, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baylor Bears guard Jared Butler (12) in the second half during the national championship game in the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Atlanta Hawks 2021 NBA Draft Prospect No. 5: Joshua Primo makes up for his lack of production with a bag full of tools

2021 Stats: 8.1/3.4/0.8; .431/.381/.750

Not only is Joshua Primo the youngest player to make this list, but he’s also the youngest prospect in this entire draft class. That’s, in part, why he makes this list despite averaging fewer points per game than many others who will be available in this range. But as it is with Jones, it’s Primo’s tools that make him an intriguing potential option.

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The 6-foot-5, 185-pound frosh didn’t start until December and, once he did, he played a specialized role for Bama. Still, he showed glimpses of what could be.

During a six-game stretch in January, he averaged 14.2 points, shot 54.8 percent from outside, and had 1.2 steals per game. He didn’t get to showcase it in college, but he’s also shown some ability to create offense for himself and others.

Those traits are what have Primo rocketing up draft boards after he was viewed as a possible second-rounder by some.

We talked about the Hawks need for a secondary playmaker with some defensive capabilities in regards to Duarte. The same things apply to Primo, except more patience is probably needed given his age.

This is yet another raw prospect that needs to go to a situation like in Atlanta. He could sit and learn behind Bogdanovic who showed a well-rounded skill set when struggling through injury.

By the time Bogi’s contract is up, Primo could be ready to step in a fill a vital role for the Hawks.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Hawks pass on Primo since there is so much projection needed to see his value. But it also wouldn’t be shocking to see a team ahead of them take him either.

It isn’t apples-to-apples, but the Chicago Bulls took a similar approach with Patrick Williams last season and he looks like he’ll be a solid two-way contributor for years.

Next. Atlanta Hawks: Grading the season John Collins bet on himself. dark

Banking on traits, especially this late in the first round is never a bad thing. And when the payoff is as great as it could be with Primo, teams should be willing to take that risk. Will the Hawks be the team that takes that chance?