The Atlanta Hawks' offseason is about to become a lot busier next week. The 2025 NBA draft is officially one week away, and a lot of eyes will be on the Hawks come Wednesday night due to their holding two first-round picks (No. 13, 22) that can help take head coach Quin Snyder's lineup to the next level.
Although it's too early to say which exact direction the Hawks will next next week, one of their two first-rounders will likely be used on a frontcourt prospect. Veteran big men Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. are both set to become unrestricted free agents on July 6, so it isn't unfathomable to imagine Atlanta wanting to replace one or both of them with a younger option.
Interestingly enough, ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have the Hawks addressing that exact need with the latter of their opening-round selections in their latest 2025 NBA mock draft.
Hawks Grab Michigan's Danny Wolf at No. 22 in Latest ESPN Mock Draft
After having the Hawks draft BYU guard Egor Demin at No. 13, Woo has Michigan's Danny Wolf going to Atlanta nine picks later. Despite the "mixed" perception in the lead-up to the draft, the ESPN analyst indicates that the Wolverine's unique style could be what the Hawks need.
"His inside-out versatility and passing skills at his size separate him from the other bigs in this class," Woo wrote. "Adding a big later in the draft at No. 22 makes sense, with Wolf making for an interesting fit in big, versatile lineups with Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu up front."
Wolf is far from a perfect prospect; however, he does have the tools to eventually become a force in the NBA. After leading the 2023-24 Ivy League in rebounds (9.7) and blocks (1.3), the 7-foot-tall frontcourt presence transferred to Michigan for his final collegiate campaign.
The fresh start paid off, as Wolf averaged a Big Ten-leading 9.7 RPG while also setting career highs in assists (3.6), blocks (1.4), and three-pointers made (1.0). Offensively, he averaged 13.2 points with .497/.336/.594 splits while playing over 30 minutes per night in his 37 appearances.
Wolf still has to work on a few things, such as his shooting accuracy and defense, but those can be addressed at the NBA level. His versatility could add a new dimension to Snyder's game plans, especially if he successfully does end up gelling with Johnson and Okongwu, who are both younger than 25 and can grow alongside Wolf for the next decade-plus.
While there are plenty of directions the Hawks can go down next week, the path that leads them to Wolf could be one of the better options.