One irrefutable fact about the Atlanta Hawks is that they’re lucky to be in this position, just five days prior to the NBA Draft. The intel has been booming thanks to the recent updates from Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
Onsi Saleh and the Hawks' front office are open to multiple prospects, primarily Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr ahead of the loaded draft. With so many avenues for improvement, Hawks should entertain many potential trades ahead of June 23rd.
Atlanta should look to trade up for a potential star
If the Hawks' front office is serious about trading up for a top-five pick, it’ll likely require both of their first-round picks and a player from the current roster. The top candidate for a package would likely be Zaccharie Risacher.
Trading up for Keaton Wagler or Caleb Wilson would be a massive win for the Hawks. It’s also safe to say each of the top-three picks will be off limits.
It’s rare to play with house money after being a 26-30 team at the All-Star break, putting on a late-season resurgence and taking the eventual NBA Champions to six games. So, Hawks fans should have a good level of optimism for whats to come.
As the draft looms closer, multiple mocks are giving different results. Regardless of any trivial trepidations, everyone knows it’s fate's responsibility to decide which teams will receive role players and which teams will receive a future star.
For Atlanta, it’s divine timing as they search for the Robin to their new Batman in Jalen Johnson, and what makes the probability so high is the depth of the draft. Any of the players slated in the 5-8 region could make an immediate impact in Atlanta from day one.
Atlanta could also look to trade down in the draft
With players like Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg available near the bottom of the lottery, the Hawks should pick up the phone for teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 2025 NBA Champions have the 12th and 17th picks in the first round.
Obtaining these two picks still would guarantee a lottery-level talent and another solid piece six picks higher than the 23rd-overall pick.
Regardless of the result, Onsi Saleh has earned the trust of the Hawks fan base in just one season. Other than a questionable Luke Kennard trade, which some fans still hate to this day, he’s put the Hawks on track to be a solidified playoff-caliber team for the first time in years.
By next Tuesday, the Hawks should have the finishing touch to their backcourt, especially considering the high likelihood they bring veteran CJ McCollum back.
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