The 2025 NBA Draft contained several surprises, but the Atlanta Hawks may have pulled off the biggest heist of all. While most of the attention this offseason has focused on their free agent additions and revamped core around Trae Young, a quieter transaction might soon prove to be one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory. Thanks to a draft night deal with New Orleans, the Hawks walked away with the more favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ 2026 first-round picks, a selection that is suddenly looking more valuable by the day.
The Athletic's Sam Vecenie recently stated on his podcast that four league executives have told him that they now have the Pelicans projected to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference standings in 2025-26. If those projections hold, Atlanta may have just landed itself a potential top five pick for next summer. That is the same pick New Orleans gave up in order to move up ten spots and select Derik Queen in this year’s draft.
Queen might still become a productive player, but it has not been the most inspiring start. His Summer League performance raised more questions than answers, especially for a team that sacrificed such a valuable future asset to get him. There were flashes, sure, but not enough to suggest he was worth the kind of risk the Pelicans took on.
The Hawks may land a top 5 pick next summer
The irony is not lost on Hawks fans, who are now watching this unfold with a sense of vindication. A year ago, Atlanta was painted as a franchise stuck in the mud, uncertain about its long-term direction. Today, they are being talked about as a top-five team in the Eastern Conference and might be holding onto a lottery ticket that could supercharge their rebuild even further.
That is the kind of leverage that changes everything. The Hawks already added Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard this summer, reinforcing their rotation and raising expectations. The core of Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher and Dyson Daniels is intriguing enough on its own. Add in a high-end rookie talent next summer, and this team starts to look extremely dangerous for the long haul.
Nobody knows exactly where that 2026 pick will land just yet. But if the Pelicans’ season plays out the way some executives expect, Atlanta’s front office might be in position to pull off one of the biggest wins of the decade.