The Atlanta Hawks waited three years for the first-round draft pick they received from the Sacramento Kings for Kevin Huerter to convey. However, a new trade idea would see the Hawks not only trade that pick but package it with their other first-rounder.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman suggested the idea, proposing the Hawks send the two selections to the Washington Wizards.
In return, the Hawks would receive the No. 6 overall pick.
Wasserman does not offer a specific target for the Hawks if they moved up to the slot, but he projected Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears to the Wizards in that spot. Notably, Fears hails from Hawks star Trae Young’s alma mater.
Young has touted Fears as his “young killa” and celebrated the young guard’s exploits in the NCAA Tournament.
Notably, the Hawks face some questions about Young this offseason.
He has spoken openly about wanting to compete at a high level sooner rather than later, which the Hawks have yet to prove they can do for an entire season. Young also has a player option for the 2026-27 season, essentially making this coming campaign a contract year.
The other noteworthy aspect of Fears is that Wasserman offered former Hawks star Dejounte Murray, now of the New Orleans Pelicans, as a comparison.
Wasserman’s comp for Fears could pass for Young’s.
“Teams interested in adding more backcourt creation, rim pressure and playmaking will focus their attention on Jeremiah Fears. Scouts are anticipating the 18-year-old drawing top-five consideration,” Wasserman wrote on May 29.
“Unreliable range, a high turnover rate and limited off-ball skill will have certain teams looking elsewhere.”
Wasserman’s colleague, Zach Buckley, praised Fears’ “creativity and confidence.”
Other options the Hawks could consider based on Wasserman’s mock include Duke big man Khaman Maluach and sharpshooting teammate Kon Knipple, and Georgia big man Asa Newell, an Atlanta native.
Hawks could help out old friend with draft trade
Why the Wizards would make the move down is unclear, especially if Fears is as billed. But doing as Wasserman suggests would see Atlanta work with their former president of basketball operations, Travis Schlenk, the senior vice president of player personnel in Washington.
Schlenk stepped down during the 2022-23 season, amid split opinions on the direction of the team and myriad voices offering input.
The Hawks are set to fill the POBOP role for the first time since Schlenk left.
However, they could also stick with their current setup, allowing general manager Onsi Saleh to make the final decisions as his predecessor, Landry Fields did. That uncertainty is what makes projecting what the Hawks will do in the draft (or free agency, trade market, etc.) difficult.