Atlanta's ability to capitalize on New Orleans' organizational blunders has already been well-documented - the saga is far from over.
The Pelicans have struggled on the interior the last handful of seasons - their current one-two punch of Yves Missi and Derik Queen can be described at best as painfully one-dimensional, and at worst completely dysfunctional.
This season, the Hawks possess the Pelicans' pick (sort of) - if their frontcourt continues to falter as it did so often last season, another top pick is in the Hawks' future.
Atlanta's complicated 2027 pick - New Orleans and Milwaukee swap
First, Atlanta doesn't have access to two firsts next year - they traded their own away in the Dejounte Murray deal with the San Antonio Spurs some years ago.
That said, the Hawks do possess the worst swap of the Pelicans and Bucks firsts next year, protected for selections 1-4 (if both picks land in the top four range, New Orleans possesses exclusive rights to both picks).
Milwaukee's trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat was fantastic news for this pick - as talented as Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, and Jaime Jaquez are, odds are the Bucks won't improve from last season's already dismal record.
Therefore, so long as the Pelicans' curse holds, and they remain near the bottom of the Western Conference, Atlanta will once again hold a coveted pick in the 2027 lottery (albeit, not top four).
The Missi-Queen conundrum - one-way play
The frontcourt is where the Pelicans have been taken advantage of year in and year out during the Zion Williamson era in Louisiana.
After the depature of Anthony Davis so long ago, New Orleans hasn't rostered any elite rim protectors to complement Williamson's near-unstoppable paint scoring on the other end of the floor. While Williamson's offense is formidable, his lack of effort on the defensive end combined with his inability to remain on the floor for 82 games has formed a perennial weakness down low for the Pelicans.
Yves Missi and Derik Queen are the two heirs apparent to the center position in New Orleans following another stagnant offseason, but their abilities aren't complete whenever they take the floor next to big Z.
While Missi's defensive abilities down low and on the glass are impressive, his failure to put together a threat on the offensive end render him a net negative on the hardwood.
Conversely, Derik Queen's eye-popping offense doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, so long as his defense remains as porous as it was during his rookie campaign.
Thanks to New Orleans' refusal to address their frontcourt weakness, the Hawks will likely possess a pick in the 5-10 range in next year's draft - get ready for yet another season of monitoring top prospects, Hawks fans!
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