The draft landscape is ever-changing. Just a few days ago, the idea of taking Aday Mara in the top ten felt like a reach. It felt like a move for fit that would backfire. Now, it's difficult to imagine a world where he doesn't go early. The Atlanta Hawks are positioned at eight, and their dream of landing Mara is becoming more unrealistic by the day.
It's crazy how boards can change, and how the slightest development can cause an entire shift in projections. The NBA Draft Combine is underway, and the 7'3" center out of Michigan hasn't missed a beat. His stellar showing is resulting in him skyrocketing up each team's priority list.
Hawks are going to have to act quickly if they want to land Mara
Some mock drafts have him being selected as early as pick five to the Los Angeles Clippers. With the top four likely set in stone, and the rest of the first round appearing unpredictable, there's legitimate reason to believe Atlanta would have to trade up to land his valuable services.
Los Angeles needs a big man, plain and simple. Just before last season's trade deadline, they shipped away Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for this top-five selection. This was a reasonable gamble at the time, and now they look as genius as ever.
While Zubac is one of the best rim-protecting bigs in the league, Mara is just 21 years old. Indiana might be kicking themselves for making a panic move to prepare themselves for Tyrese Haliburton's eventual return.
While the Clippers are almost certainly intrigued by the idea of taking Mara at five, they've got to understand the interest in him around the league. They would be wise to explore trade-down options, and the Hawks would be at the forefront of those conversations. If they identify Mara as the guy, they have all the assets to pull it off.
His fit in Atlanta almost makes too much sense to pass up on
He wouldn't have to start right away, but the expectation would be for him to eventually overtake Onyeka Okongwu for that long-term spot. While Okongwu's been just fine over the last several seasons, it's clear Atlanta's been in desparate need of an enforcer down low.
They were bullied in the paint all postseason, and they'd be foolish not to address the weakness in the offseason. There's plenty of avenues they could go, but instead of overpaying for a guy in free agency or the trade market, their long-term solution could be staring right at them in the draft.
It's only a matter of if he's available or not.
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