Hawks Get Third Pick; Who’s the Choice?
On Tuesday night, the NBA held their annual draft lottery. Did the Hawks end up getting lucky?
After the NBA Draft Lottery, the Atlanta Hawks are expected to pick third overall on June 21st.
With a talented draft class looming, who are some options the Hawks might look into?
The most likely options seem to be Marvin Bagley, Jaren Jackson, or Mo Bomba.
I think that Deandre Ayton will go first overall, and Luka Doncic will go second.
This leaves the Hawks to pick between three big men who all bring different skills.
Bagley was a high scorer for Duke last year, and averaged 21 points a game.
He shot 61% from the field and averaged 11 rebounds a game.
His ceiling would be a high scoring option who can pound the glass.
The closest comparison currently might be Kevin Love, who was a double-double machine early in his career.
Bagley struggles on defense occasionally, which is another issue Love has dealt with.
Although Love has more of an outside game, Bagley should have the chance to develop a three-pointer once he gets in the league.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see him start for the Hawks all year, and finish the year averaging double-digit points and rebounds.
Is Bamba a fit in Atlanta or should they stick with a more versatile player?
Mo Bamba is a strong defender who still needs to work on his offensive game.
He might not become a go-to scorer right away, but he can dominate the basket and low post.
Would the Hawks prefer someone like Bamba who doesn’t offer much of an outside shot though?
His game compares strongly to Rudy Gobert, who utilizes his long wingspan on the defensive end.
He has struggled to make improvements on offense though and struggles to make long-range shots.
Although I think Bagley would be a better option, it wouldn’t surprise me if Bamba was the pick.
Scouts will feel that they can develop his offensive techniques while utilizing his defensive skills early on.
He seems more likely to average a decent amount of rebounds and blocks than points.
Is Jaren Jackson the sleeper of this group?
At eighteen years old, Jaren Jackson Jr is still developing his skills as a basketball player.
His potential is hard to miss though, especially after his freshman year at Michigan State.
Jackson averaged nearly 11 points a game while shooting 40% from three.
He also averaged 3 blocks a game and shot 80% from the free throw line.
The biggest knock on Jackson seems to be his struggles with fouls, as he averaged nearly three a game.
If he wants to become a star in the NBA, he’ll need to work on defending without fouling.
The rest of his defensive potential is sky high though, as he’s a mobile big man who can defend the entire floor.
I also think he could develop a complete offensive game if given more opportunities.
On a young Hawks team, he should have the chance to shoot a lot and improve his all-around game.
If a potential top-five pick could be considered a sleeper, I think Jackson would qualify.
His entire game is fitting for the modern NBA and he could be a centerpiece of a young team.
What direction will the Hawks actually go?
If I was making the decisions, I think I’d end up choosing Jackson.
Although Bagley and Bamba are more well known, Jackson fits the modern NBA well.
I have a feeling the Hawks might end up picking Bagley for his offensive potential though.
He could average 20+ points per game as a rookie, and the Hawks definitely need a spark plug for their offense.
It’ll be interesting to see what direction they do end up taking though. Let me know in the comments who you think they should go with!