The Atlanta Hawks new lead basketball voice, general manager Onsi Saleh, met with the media for the first time since joining the organization in an assistant GM role last summer. And in his first remarks, Saleh laid bare one critical piece of his team-building philosophy: the draft.
Armed with two first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, Saleh is in position to make a splash in many different ways.
One could be taking a player many might not otherwise associate with the Hawks.
“When it comes to the draft, I always pick the best player,” Saleh told reporters on June 23. “That’s my philosophy. I don’t believe in picking for a position. If there’s a guy that makes sense for us, we’re going to take them. [It is] always the best player.”
With picks Nos. 13 and 22 in his pocket, Saleh will face that very decision twice. That is, of course, unless the Hawks package those picks together in a move up.
Saleh’s comments could also align with a report from The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer.
“Various sources have indicated that they do believe the Hawks will fall right in line with Oklahoma City, Orlando and Brooklyn as teams with multiple picks in the mid-to-late first round exploring various avenues to move up the draft board,” Fischer wrote on June 12.
“Rival teams have projected the Hawks as targeting big men with whatever draft slots they ultimately operate from. After years of dangling Clint Capela on the trade block, Capela is finally expected to depart Atlanta via free agency this season, sources say. So the Hawks appear poised to have an opening for a center.”
The Hawks have been linked to Duke’s Khaman Maluach, the 2025 class’ top center prospect, and have had him in for a workout.
Most projections call for him to be long gone by 13, let alone 22.
“The top-rated [center] prospect, Maluach, has visited with the Pelicans, Wizards and Hawks, sources say,” Fischer wrote on June 17. “The Duke product is also expected to meet with the Jazz before next Wednesday's Round 1.”
Onsi Saleh ‘hit the lottery’ with pre-Hawks experience
If Hawks fans needed something to encourage them about Saleh, a first-time GM with a background skewed toward cap strategy, he provided it.
“Two organizations like the Spurs and the Warriors, I hit the lottery when it came to learning from under R.C. Buford and Bob Myers, Pop [Gregg Popovich] and Steve Kerr,” Saleh said. “I got really lucky there. But they really helped me a lot in being prepared for this role. And, honestly, just ready to roll with it.”
The first round of the draft is on Wednesday, June 25.
The Hawks do not currently own a second-round pick in this year’s draft, but that too could change with a deal before, during, or even right after the draft.