The 2026 NBA Draft is rapidly approaching, and by now, teams should at least have their big boards close to being finalized.
The pre-draft workout process has been underway for the last month, and with them have come intriguing developments regarding specific top prospects. After Darryn Peterson, there isn't much clarity as to where the rest of the top guards will land.
Uncertainty is a killer, not only for the players anticipating where they'll be spending the next several years of their career, but for the organizations, as their first-round decision will have a profound impact on the trajectory of their franchise.
Something happened in a recent Los Angeles Clippers pre-draft workout, though, that might help the Hawks, and other teams in the top-ten, put the finishing touches to their big boards.
Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings went head-to-head
Both extraordinarily-talented young guards, Wagler and Flemings haven't had much separation in terms of anticipated draft placement. Analysts conducting mocks have often flipped the two depending on the day.
The Clippers clearly wanted a definitive answer, as they hold the fifth-overall pick. The first four selections will be a combination of the prospects predicted to go that high for the last several months. But once Caleb Wilson is off the board, the class gets a bit murky.
So, Los Angeles put them head-to-head in their workout with the organization, and according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, "Wagler emerged as the more impressive prospect."
For a player who's notoriously known for playing at his own pace - for better or for worse - him clearly outplaying Flemings in their head-to-head workout wasn't particularly surprising.
Flemings creates advantages utilizing his burst, ultimately allowing him to have an incredibly impressive freshman season at Houston. The efficiency at which he operated with was outstanding, but the volume wasn't all the way there.
Wagler, on the other hand, was never hesitant to let it fly, and operated with a similarly-impressive level of efficiency.
Atlanta would be lucky to land either freshman guard
This recent workout could mean many things for the Hawks, and it all depends on how exactly they interpret it.
On one hand, they could view this as the ultimate deciding-factor on Wagler, maybe even motivating them to trade up with the Clippers for a chance to select him. On the other, though, they could stay put and select Flemings, or be delighted if Wagler were to surprisingly fall.
The Hawks are in an advantageous position, as both players are expected to be quality contributors in the league for many years to come.
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