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Atlanta Hawks NBA Draft: 5 players to avoid with the 20th pick

By Joshua Buckhalter

LEXINGTON, KY - FEBRUARY 27: Tre Mann #1 of the Florida Gators dribbles against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on February 27, 2021 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - FEBRUARY 27: Tre Mann #1 of the Florida Gators dribbles against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on February 27, 2021 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks Mandatory Credit: Arden Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Hawks NBA Draft prospect to avoid No. 4: Kentucky’s Isaiah Jackson could face too steep of a learning curve to help

2021 Stats: 8.4/6.6/0.7; .540/.700

Like Williams, Isaiah Jackson’s numbers don’t exactly scream high pick so you might wonder why he makes this list. But a lot of scouts are salivating over his physical abilities, particularly as a rebounder and shot-blocker — he blocked 2.6 shots in a little over 20 minutes per contest in his lone season under John Calipari.

There has also been a lot of talk about his basketball IQ as he isn’t consistent despite flashing some of everything at different points.

His lack of consistent offense is the biggest question mark, but his ability to alter shots and crash the boards could make a team feel better about overlooking that. What they won’t want to deal with is his excessive fouling.

He averaged three per game despite not playing as many minutes as most starters.

Jackson also weighed in at just 206 pounds, doing nothing to alleviate concerns about his strength, especially when projecting him as a center. A lot of Jackson’s appeal is in projections where he’s playing more minutes. But we know that efficiency doesn’t always translate. That makes it hard to see his prolific shot-swatting being an asset until he adds weight.

With John Collins heading into restricted free agency, a lot of thought could go into possibly finding someone who could eventually replace him. Jackson would probably never be a 1-for-1 replacement, but whatever he does become might take too long to get there.

Lacking offense, questionable basketball IQ, lack of strength. These are all things that could be ignored if the Hawks weren’t trying to compete for a berth in the NBA Finals next season.

Some see the G-League as Jackson’s best path in the NBA, which should immediately take him off of Atlanta’s radar. There’s a chance that, even if he thrived at that level, he’d still have quite the adjustment at the NBA level. Championship windows close faster than anyone ever wants to admit in this league.