Atlanta Hawks: First-Round NBA Draft Options
Apr 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats players Aaron Harrison (2) , Trey Lyles (41) and Trey Lyles (41) celebrate after a basket against the Wisconsin Badgers in the second half of the 2015 NCAA Men
125. Height: 6′ 10”, Weight: 241 lbs, Wingspan: 7′ 1.5”, Position: PF, Age: 19, College: Kentucky . PF. Kentucky. Trey Lyles. 2. player
Trey Lyles seems to be the other favorite of NBA writers. Lyles offers a sharp contrast to Portis – a player with tremendous potential that saw limited minutes as part of an incredibly deep Kentucky team. In only 23 minutes a game, Lyles managed an impressive 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds and shined on Kentucky’s second unit.
While Lyles possesses a pick-and-pop game, most of his scoring last year occurred near the rim and he does not currently have a dependable outside shot. Lyles is young and has a lot of time to develop, but would certainly be a long-term investment. While he could draw some interest earlier in the first round, he should be still available by the 15th pick. The question remains: do the Atlanta Hawks want a solid power forward now or a potentially great one down the road?
Mock Draft Selections:
- Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report
- Kevin O’Connor, SB Nation
- Reid Forgrave, Fox Sports
- Steve Alexander, RotoWorld
- Joel Brigham, Basketball Insiders
- Sean Deveney, Sporting News
Next: Yes, The Hawks Need Small Fowards For Sure!