The Atlanta Hawks were recently linked to some of the top point guard prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft. The goal thus appears to be finding a point guard of the future to round the rotation into form. The final note from the report, however, was rather surprising: Atlanta is also considering Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara at No. 8 overall.
Mara is a fascinating prospect, but drafting him in the top 10 would mean beginning the process of replacing Onyeka Okongwu. In doing so, the Hawks would risk derailing the progress of an elite starting five.
Okongwu is coming off of an impressive season during which he posted career-best marks in points, assists, steals, and three-point field goals made while shooting at a clip of .480/.376/.757. More importantly, Atlanta ranked in the 100th percentile in net rating across 822 possessions with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, CJ McCollum, and Okongwu on the court.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Okongwu's impressive season and the success he contributed to hasn't stopped Atlanta from considering Mara at No. 8 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
"Since then, rival executives who’ve spoken with HoopsHype project the Hawks to select either a point guard, with one of Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff, and Kingston Flemings expected to be available, or Michigan 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara."
Considering it's uncommon for teams to draft a player in the top 10 with the intention of keeping them on the bench for their entire career, that certainly makes it seem as though Mara would replace Okongwu in the starting lineup.
Hawks eyeing Aday Mara, but that would change the way they play
Mara is one of the most remarkable prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft. He stands at 7'3" and 259 pounds with a massive 7'6" wingspan and an even more absurd 9'9" standing reach. He's also a fluid athlete with strong footwork and a championship pedigree.
By drafting Mara, the Hawks would be investing in an interior talent who can anchor their efforts on both ends of the floor while simultaneously offering upside as a floor spacer.
The reality of drafting Mara, however, is that Atlanta would need to change the way it plays—rather drastically. Okongwu has afforded the Hawks the ability to play a style that benefits franchise player Jalen Johnson in the sense that it accentuates his strengths and positions him to optimize his efforts.
For instance: Okongwu has become one of the best three-point shooting big men in the NBA, which is exactly what Johnson needs considering 52.4 percent of his points were scored within 10 feet of the rim.
Aday Mara is a fascinating talent, but does he fit with Jalen Johnson?
Furthermore, one of Atlanta's greatest strengths was Johnson's ability to dominate the defensive glass and instantly initiate the fast break. Mara can help him do so, but Okongwu's athleticism plays a big role in the pace the Hawks are able to maintain with their starters on the court.
The result was Atlanta ranking No. 3 in the NBA in fast break points and Johnson ranking No. 4 individually among players who appeared in at least 65 games.
Perhaps Mara can adapt and help the Hawks play the style they hope to. By selecting him at No. 8, however, Atlanta would be gambling on a fairly interior-based big man being an ideal fit alongside the franchise player who just had the best season of his career while playing with Okongwu.
It's fair to dream of how Mara can thrive in the NBA, but with the goal of building around Johnson, the Hawks must proceed with caution and avoid alienating one of his best teammates if they aren't absolute in their confidence in how the Michigan star can fit.
The suboptimal outcome could derail the Hawks' progress.
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