The Atlanta Hawks could own two first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, so long as they get some help. They already own the Los Angeles Lakers’ first outright; a result of their trade that sent Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans. That pick will land in the mid-to-late 20s.
The Hawks also own the rights to the Sacramento Kings’ 2025 first-round pick thanks to trading Kevin Huerter in 2022. The Hawks need the pick to land 13th and up for that to play out.
There are still a lot of details for the organization to hope for.
“If the Kings beat the Suns and lock themselves into the ninth spot in the play-in standings, losses by the Hawks and Mavericks would mean Sacramento will pick no higher than 13th if the Kings don't advance out of the play-in,” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote on April 12.
“A loss by the Kings would put them in position to keep their pick -- either outright, if Atlanta or Dallas wins, or via coin flip if they lose. It also could become a four-way tie if the Bulls win and the Hawks, Mavericks and Kings all lose. That scenario would give Sacramento up to three chances to move up via coin flip and keep its pick.”
Put simply, the Hawks have real incentive to win their regular season finale against the Orlando Magic, whom they will face in the Play-In Tournament.
The Hawks would benefit from the Kings winning, unless they are comfortable giving up vs the Magic.
They should also want the Bulls to lose while the Kings and Mavs notch wins, just to remove the chances of a coin flip taking away their first first-rounder. The Hawks do not own their first this year, thanks to the initial trade for Murray in 2022.
That pick, owned by the San Antonio Spurs, is currently slotted at 15th, so the Hawks could come away with an even better selection despite the situation.
It has been framed as losing “control” of their ability to tank due to the slew of selections owed.
Instead, the Hawks improved their draft capital while maintaining a competitive status. They are a prime example for the anti-tanking crowd, eschewing doubts about their plan and even keeping Trae Young in the face of constant scrutiny over the years.
Hawks can continue on-the-fly retool this offseason
The Hawks must deliver with a true contender to be able to say their plan has been a success, but their recent draft history is encouraging.
Landing Zaccharie Risacher is one thing.
He was the No. 1 overall pick, albeit in a slighted draft class. And the Hawks have several cautionary tales in recent seasons – Cam Reddish, AJ Griffin, and, potentially, Kobe Bufkin. But Jalen Johnson, the No. 20 pick in 2021, is a shining example of their ability to mine for talent.
He was a top talent but came with questions about his durability and maturity. The latter has been a non-issue with the Hawks.
Johnson is out for the season with a shoulder injury, and he missed significant time last year.
Still, he has rapidly ascended (once he received consistent playing time) to the Hawks’ second-best player behind Young, a four-time All-Star. Combined with Risacher and Dyson Daniels’ breakout, plus a potential pair of first-round rookies, the Hawks’ arrow is pointing up.