The Atlanta Hawks were blessed with the gift of choice.
After the 2024 Draft Lottery saw the ping-pong balls fall in their favor, the Hawks have options on how they would like to proceed.
They could stay put at No. 1 and take whomever they feel is worthy of being the first player off the board. The Hawks could trade that pick in hopes of adding a third star-level player to a group that already includes two All-Stars in Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Atlanta could also look to move one of their stars and reset with said top pick.
Let’s explore each of those options and how they could turn out in an ideal scenario for the Hawks.
Option #1: Hawks stay put at No. 1, take best player available
There will be many opinions about what the Hawks should do and who they should take at No. 1 if they hold on to the pick. Further complicating matters is the lack of an apparent superstar talent teams would typically covet in this situation.
However, a few names are rising above the rest, even if they haven’t separated themselves from one another.
French big man Alexandre Sarr is favored to be the pick, at least if they keep it.
Alex Sarr, our new projected No. 1 pick, plays a compact, efficient role for Perth, with plenty of freedom to demonstrate his versatile skill set pushing off the glass, as a facilitator, making shots dynamically, and showing excellent footwork and touch as a finisher. pic.twitter.com/BsHtCB7GCT
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 2, 2024
“SHADES OF Jaren Jackson Jr., Jonathan Isaac,” wrote The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. “Skyscraping wing trapped in a center's body, with a rare blend of size, finesse, and explosiveness.”
Sarr is undersized to play center right away at 6-foot-11 and 217 pounds. But his frame and skill set already have support among the fanbase as a potential replacement for Clint Capela.
While he needs refinement, Sarr could be the safest bet in a star-crossed draft class.
He wouldn’t have to man the pivot right away, even if the Hawks moved Capela after making the pick. Former No. 6 overall pick (2020) Onyeka Okongwu had internal support as a potential starter were it not for Capela.
And 2023 second-round pick Mo Gueye flashed last season, though he was even slighter of frame than Sarr coming in.
There are others to keep an eye on.
Sarr’s countryman Zaccherie Risacher, Serbian guard Nikola Topic, UConn’s Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle, and Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard. There are four guards in that group, perhaps giving Clingan, Risacher, and Sarr the leg up.