The Atlanta Hawks now know they have two picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, with selections No. 13, coming courtesy of the Sacramento Kings in 2022, and No. 22 via the Los Angeles Lakers this past offseason.
At least one of those picks must be used on a big man.
That is not just because the Hawks could use an upgrade off their bench. They certainly can, as we saw this past season.
The Hawks are also set to see two of their top reserve big men hit unrestricted free agency, with Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. Both players can make an easy argument for at least testing the waters in free agency.
Capela’s mind may already be made up.
“After being benched in favor of Onyeka Okongwu and dangled in trade talks before the deadline, the early expectation is Hawks center Clint Capela will sign elsewhere in unrestricted free agency this summer, league sources told HoopsHype,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto wrote on March 28.
The Hawks have Onyeka Okongwu, who replaced Capela as the starting center during the season.
They also have a promising combo 4/5 in Mouhamed Gueye.
Gueye moonlighted at center in a mini-breakout this past season. He could even take on more duties if he bulks off this offseason. His pairing with Okongwu, whose greatest contributions have come on offense, was quite effective for the Hawks.
But the Hawks are a small team, and adding a true pivot to relieve Okongwu and provide additional opportunities for the second unit on the glass.
Guard can be secondary target for Hawks
Guard play is essential in the NBA, and the Hawks boasted two of the best on either side of the floor this past season with Trae Young and Dyson Daniels. Young is a four-time All-Star who led the league in assists.
Daniels won Most Improved Player and could still earn a spot on an All-Defensive team following a historic first season with the Hawks.
Things are far less certain behind them.
However, the Hawks can skirt by with Terance Mann backing up Young so long as they are secure elsewhere. Much of this will depend on how the draft shakes out, but the Hawks have a clear-cut need for size in the frontcourt.
It might be difficult to pass over the big man for the guard if all else is equal for the two prospects in question.
Duke’s Khaman Maluach (long shot) or Maryland’s Derik Queen (still unlikely) could go early.
Georgetown’s Thomas Sorbor could be an option with the Hawks’ second of two first-rounders, so they do not have to even make up their mind about which slot they will target a center with. But they should absolutely target a center at some point.