Game 5 was not a pretty sight for Hawks fans hoping to not only get a bit of revenge from their loss at home, but also to set themselves up for a series-closing game in Game 6 back in the A.
Unfortunately, New York dominated on the boards and the interior all night long. Ultimately out-rebounding Atlanta 48-27 and out-scoring the Hawks by 18 in the paint, they made one thing clear—Atlanta must address their lack of size in the draft.
The draft day conundrum of Aday Mara
Hawks fans who watched any of Michigan's stellar run to an inevitable March Madness title know how dominant Aday Mara is down low.
The 7-foot-2 bruiser for the Wolverines led his squad to the NCAA title on the back of his smothering paint defense, elite touch around the rim, and surprisingly adept skills as a facilitator, in spite of his size.
Mara possesses gifts at his size that very, very few other bags dream of boasting. He pairs the more traditional boons of elite rim protection and inside scoring with unicorn-esque lateral quickness and playmaking, which makes you wonder—why do many mock drafts have him falling outside of the lottery?
We've seen past prospects go well above or well below their projections before. Some extreme examples include last year’s selection of Yang Hansen by the Portland Trail Blazers at pick 16 (projected for the second round), or, inversely, Rasheer Fleming by the Phoenix Suns at pick 31 (projected late lottery).
Mara could easily go as high as around pick eight, or as low as around pick 25. Oddly enough, that's almost exactly where Atlanta is—they own the seventh-best odds in the lottery thanks to the Pels, and the 23rd-best odds in the lottery thanks to the Cavs.
Ideally, Atlanta uses some combination of draft capital and fringe talent to move up from 23 to acquire Mara around pick 15-18, the likely range he'll end up falling to. This way, Atlanta won't have to reach using their top pick, which, if the ping-pong balls fall the right way in early May, they can use for a prospect that would complement Mara's skill set beautifully.
Atlanta's absolute dream scenario: pairing Mara with Caleb Wilson
Atlanta's dream has always been getting Caleb Wilson in the 2026 NBA Draft. The one-and-done North Carolina prospect has some of the most jaw-dropping college film you'll ever see, and he did it all in a season cut short by an unfortunate hand fracture, ultimately sidelining him during the big dance.
Standing at 6-foot-10, Wilson boasts a frame and skills that none of the other top prospects even come close to boasting (Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa). Wilson's elite rim protection, unreal vertical, high motor, and promising mid-range shot (that will ideally translate to 3-point range in the future) are exactly what Atlanta needs in their frontcourt.
As exciting as the big three prospects are, they all lack the blend of size, feel, and athleticism that Wilson offers. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Atlanta even trades down to acquire him at four, especially considering where he grew up his whole life—right here in Atlanta.
The series against New York hasn't seen the curtains closed yet, but it is looking grim. Barring a Jalen Johnson miracle, it's likely the Hawks will be ending their season well before June. That being said, it's been a sensational year, and the future is very bright for Atlanta.
If the Hawks can land either of Mara or Wilson this draft, consider their interior struggles a thing of the past. If they manage to get their talons on both—phew, watch out.
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