Atlanta Hawks: Why The Lottery Results Doesn’t Hurt the Hawks Direction
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Hawks received the 8th and 10th picks in the NBA Draft Lottery. Not ideal for a team expecting two top ten picks in this year’s draft. Landing at 8th and 10th may not be ideal but it doesn’t hurt the Hawks as badly as many may believe.
The Atlanta Hawks and their fanbase were hoping they would be the lucky team to land the 1st pick in the draft. Zion Williamson is the undisputed first pick in the draft and would have been great for Atlanta’s young core.
Instead the Pelicans won the lottery and the Hawks fell out of the top five picks altogether. They received the 8th pick in the draft and the 10th.
To say this isn’t ideal may be an understatement, but to believe it dooms the Hawk’s off-season would be a prisoner of the moment statement.
Now the Hawks focus should shift to possible trades and landing a top free agent. The Hawks still have the core to become a contender in 2019, they simply need a top player who isn’t Zion Williamson.
The Hawks will still have two top ten picks, plenty of cap space, future assets, and one of the most exciting young cores in the game. For Atlanta, the off-season will now hinge on their ability to lure a top player to Atlanta.
If that happens the draft disappointment will be forgotten and Atlanta will be a contender. Worst case scenario for the Hawks is remaining in their current draft position and failing to add any high impact players.
Even in this scenario the Hawks will be adding two top ten picks to a core of Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, and John Collins.
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As frustrating and disappointing as the lottery results were they aren’t the end of the off-season for the Hawks. They only give the Hawks a more specific direction, more to come as draft news continues.