For once, the Atlanta Hawks were the talk of the league for a positive reason. Far too often, poor coaching or front office decisions have made the franchise an easy target. However, the recent front office changes appear to have altered this with the Hawks having become a viable contender in the Eastern Conference already this offseason.
Not only this, but the franchise has built for the future as well, landing an unprotected pick from the New Orleans Pelicans next season. A team expected to be in the lottery just handed the pick over to the Hawks to move up ten spots in this year's underwhelming class.
It seems fans and pundits weren't the only ones in complete disbelief at the team's current luck. The deal was so unbelievably great that the team almost ruined it by continually questioning if it was real. Onsi Saleh was forced to get on the phone himself to confirm that the Pelicans were willing to hand over the pick in exchange for moving up ten spots. There is no argument that this was the steal of the draft. Unless you had a top-three pick, no team has a viable reason to feel better about its draft approach than the Hawks.
The Hawks Front Office Couldn't Belief New Orleans' Decision
From Hoopshype, this morning pic.twitter.com/iw4a8b23HU
— Adnan Ikic (@SayWhichWay) July 3, 2025
What makes the deal even more hilarious is the fact that it isn't just an unprotected pick from New Orleans that Atlanta now holds. The pick gives the Hawks the power to select the best pick from either the Bucks or Pelicans in the 2026 draft. All of this adds up to handing the Hawks a likely top-ten pick all for the price of ten draft spots.
The fact that even Atlanta's own front office couldn't believe the team's luck speaks to just how much of an incredible deal this was. It gives further perspective on why NBA media has lost its collective mind over the decision and continues to give the Hawks credit as a sneaky contender in the 2025-26 season.
All of this adds up to what has already been an exciting offseason for Atlanta, lending hope that perhaps the days of mediocrity are finally going to be put behind the franchise.