The Atlanta Hawks’ options were refined on Wednesday, as the deadline for the 2025 NBA Draft class to withdraw from consideration for the cycle.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony estimated there were “about 15 notable players” from whom teams were awaiting final decisions. The shake-up will undoubtedly impact how the draft unfolds, beginning on June 25.
The Hawks have picks Nos. 13 and 22.
Givony and colleague Jeff Borzello noted the impact that NIL, the transfer portal, and the prospect of playing overseas have had on the college landscape.
“Players taken 20th or below make less than $3 million in their rookie season, and second-round picks do not automatically receive guaranteed NBA contracts,” Yahoo Sports’ Kurt Helin wrote on May 29. “For those players, staying in college for another year may be the most sensible option. That is why there are fewer sophomores and juniors in recent drafts than years past.”
Of course, the Hawks do not own a second-round pick in this year’s draft as of May 29.
That could always change, though a diminished pool of prospects could suggest it is more prudent to see who is available after the draft rather than reach for a prospect with their second first-round pick or even trade assets to acquire a second-rounder.
That could also make young prospects already on NBA rosters more appealing, especially as filler and fliers in trades this offseason.
The expectation is that next year’s first round could be among the oldest in recent memory.
Players like Kobe Bufkin (22 in September), who was a first-round pick in 2023, and even those with lesser draft pedigree like 2023 second-rounder Mouhamed Gueye or former undrafted free agent Dominick Barlow could still have minor trade value beyond helping to match salaries.
Hawks can still go in many different directions
As for their first-round options, the Hawks likely did not lose too much, if anything. They remain in play for several big and guard options.
They could face stiffer competition, though, as there are fewer fallback options.
In that regard, the Hawks were wise to embrace the youth of their roster as they have, and there remain rumors that they will pursue new deals with highly-regarded veterans Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr.
The team’s top player, Trae Young, will turn 27 in September, giving them a long runway. That is, unless Young opts out in 2026, in which case the Hawks would need to replace him.
Even then, the Hawks still have Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu.
They are all still on the same timeline as 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, meaning the Hawks do not have to force themselves into any particular path. That goes for free agency and trades just as much as the draft.