The Atlanta Hawks' season was a success, no matter what happens in their first round series against the New York Knicks. A scorching hot second half will set the tone for next season, which will also include a lottery pick courtesy of the ever-generous New Orleans Pelicans.
With over two months remaining until the draft (and the Hawks season still in full swing), who knows how much attention the front office has paid to potential prospects. But I think the playoffs will reveal the route this team should go when they're on the clock in June; a CJ McCollum replacement.
McCollum was awesome in Game 1; actually, he's been awesome pretty much the whole time he's been a Hawk, as short as it's been. He scored 26 points in the Hawks' playoff opener, and really kept the team in the game until the Knicks blew it open late.
But with his contract expiring at the conclusion of this season, and him not really fitting the longterm plans of the Hawks, the Hawks will likely need to replace McCollum's scoring creation, which is essential in a playoff environment. Having guards who can get a shot up at will is crucial when games slow down and defense takes precedent.
Nickeil-Alexander Walker and Dyson Daniels are both guards in the technical sense, but we know that Daniels is more of a facilitator and defensive stopper than a pure shot creator, and NAW needs someone to flank him like McCollum has done so well.
Hawks should look for another shot-creating guard in NBA Draft
The Hawks are lucky to have a lottery pick in this draft and even luckier that, of all drafts to find a shot-creating guard, this seems to be the perfect crop of prospects.
If the Hawks get extra lucky and move up in the lottery, Darryn Peterson of Kansas and Kingston Flemings of Houston are potential cornerstone guys. But if they stay in their projected No. 7 spot, Darius Acuff Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr. are about as good of consolation prizes as Onsi Saleh could ask for.
CJ McCollum has been the best interim scoring guard the Hawks could have asked for, even if his tenure with the Hawks is short-lived. It took just one game to see how important that archetype of player will be for future Hawks playoff runs, and replacing McCollum ASAP should probably be the route this team takes in June's draft.
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