Why the Atlanta Hawks drafted Tyrese Martin in the second round
The Atlanta Hawks took Uconn’s Tyrese Martin with pick No. 51 of the 2022 NBA draft. They originally had pick No. 44 in the draft but they traded this to the Golden State Warriors for the 51st pick and cash considerations.
This means that it feels like the Hawks had targetted Martin and believed that he would be on the draft board seven picks later. So the question remains, why did the Hawks decide to draft Martin in the second round? This question is especially pertinent as the Hawks had already taken AJ Griffin in the first round.
Griffin has a chance to impact the Hawks’ rotations straight off the bat, given that he is a two-way threat and can shoot the 3-ball at an impressive clip. The answer partially lies in the Hawks’ injury history over the past two seasons.
The Atlanta Hawks need wings who can shoot like Tyrese Martin
All Hawks fans will remember the injury crisis they endured at the beginning of the 2020-21 season. They had so many wings out that Solomon Hill and Tony Snell had to start. To make matters worse they had a similar injury crisis at the start of the 2021-22 season.
This seems to have the Hawks a little concerned given that De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic are crucial pieces for the team. These were two of the players who were repeatedly on the injury list and without them, the Hawks are vulnerable.
This is where the drafting of Griffin and Martin makes complete sense. Griffin is a much greater chance of getting playing time, Martin is likely to be offered a two-way deal or sign with the G League franchise the College Park Skyhawks, and will be in the system. This offers a level of security for the Hawks as Martin is a quality shooter.
Next. The Hawks lose a senior member of the coaching staff. dark
The Hawks may also be looking to develop Griffin this season, seeing whether he could be a factor in the NBA over the next two or three seasons.