Atlanta Hawks NBA Draft: Travis Schlenk does it again

The Atlanta Hawks were the subject of many rumors in the days leading up to the 2021 NBA Draft. It began with murmurs over suitors for John Collins, continued with Lou Williams’ potential return, and peaked with Cam Reddish being mentioned along with the 20th overall pick for anything ranging from a top-10 pick to another superstar player.

But, as team after team made their selections, the Hawks stood pat and cool as a cucumber. And it paid off in spades.

Their first pick is easily a top-10 talent and the fact that he fell all the way to the Hawks is an indictment on more than one other team. The Hawks, though, are not one of them. They deserve kudos for, once again, reading the room right and taking the best player on the board.

The Atlanta Hawks staying put and still landing Jalen Johnson might be the steal of the draft

We gave our take on the matter back when The Ringer broached the subject on their podcast. However, it needs to be highlighted just how much of a steal this pick is. He alone fills several needs both now and in the future.

He’ll bring defensive potential with his length — he’s listed at 6-foot-9 — and athleticism at either forward spot. He has the ability to be the top backup to both Collins and De’Andre Hunter right out of the gate.

With the 48th-overall selection, they landed some toughness and playmaking-making behind Trae Young; something that’s been an issue for some time.

Both give the Hawks options with Williams, Kris Dunn, and others.

Danilo Gallinari only has $5 million left on his deal after next season and, as we’ve mentioned, Reddish was mentioned. It’s always possible they re-visit a trade for him at a later time.

For now, let’s get into the Hawks draft haul from Thursday.

Atlanta Hawks 2021 NBA Draft Pick No. 1: Taking Jalen Johnson at 20th overall is quintessential “best player available”

Jalen Johnson has the kind of size and athleticism that should come to mind when you think of the modern NBA forward. Not only does he have the length, but he has a 7-foot wingspan and weighed 209 pounds at the NBA Combine but was listed at 220 pounds in college. Schlenk obviously sees the benefits.

"“He is an extremely talented player. Great size, great raw skills. Rebounds. Defense.”"

In his first game, Johnson snagged 19 rebounds. It was against Coppin State, but Johnson showcased all of the abilities Schlenk mentioned. Here he is using his size perfectly to wall off his man and not only snag the rebound but also get the putback.

He had 19 boards and four blocks in that game putting his end-to-end athleticism on full display.

Taking Johnson gives them protection in the event Collins or Reddish are elsewhere in the near future, a capable backup right now, and the ability to be that secondary facilitator in the offense; albeit from an unconventional position.

Schlenk also touched on the issues that Johnson went through at Duke (and IMG academy).

"“Obviously, he had some issues at Duke. In high school as well. When you are picking at 20 and that sort of talent is there, you certainly feel good about it.”"

The Hawks have a strong culture headed by Trae Young on the floor and old-school Nate McMillan who certainly unlocked this roster’s full potential last season. They were 14-20 when he took over and ended up as the fifth seed, which was also thanks to a coin flip. If there is a locker room that can handle whatever issues might come with Johnson, it’s this one.

Besides, most say the biggest issue for Johnson in college was procedural overall, with COVID protocols and an injury leading him to focus on preparing for the draft.

Johnson finished his collegiate career averaging 11.2/6.2/2.2 and slashing .523/.444/.632

He will need to cut down on the turnovers and fouls, but that’s not uncommon for rookies. His free throw shooting also needs to improve. At any rate, his selection started the night off in a bang for Hawks fans, but it didn’t end there.

Atlanta Hawks 2021 NBA Draft Pick No. 2: Cooper is the backup point guard of the future and was there in Round 2

Everybody loves a good homecoming story and Sharife Cooper is just the latest for Atlanta. He was born in Powder Springs, Georgia where he attended McEachern High School. A five-star recruit ranked 20th in the country by ESPN, Cooper would have just one Georgia school, Georgia Tech, on his final list before leaving for Auburn.

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Cooper averaged 20.2 points and 8.1 assists per game for the Tigers while chipping in 4.3 rebounds, an impressive number for a 6-foot-1 guard.

Like Johnson, Cooper started his college career with a big game, going off for 26 points and nine assists against Alabama. He followed that up with a 28-points, 12-assist, five-rebound performance against Georgia (ouch) the next game.

Cooper had seven games with at least 19 points and at least nine assists in five.

So, how does a player who ranked as 19th (per Tankathon.com) wind up falling to the Hawks at 48th overall?

There are more questions about Cooper’s jumper than there are about his size. He shot just 39.1 percent from the floor and 22.8 percent from three. That, in combination with his size, has some wondering how effective he will be at the NBA level.

But he gets to the rim and shot 82.5 percent from the free-throw line. What’s more, he’s got really good vision and finds teammates with ease even when under duress.

Like with Johnson, Cooper’s floor projection was well within the Hawks range, but unlike Johnson, not many would have imagined he would still be there when they came back on the clock in the middle of the second round. Schlenk sure sounds happy.

He can be a contributor immediately as the backup point guard on most teams, but he might be a very dangerous third point guard off the bench to start with several others competing.