2025 NBA Draft Grades: Hawks Are One Of Five Teams Who Earn An 'A' Grade From ESPN

The Atlanta Hawks are being universally praised for how they handled the 2025 NBA Draft.

Sitting with the No. 13 pick, Atlanta made one of the most stunning draft day trades in recent memory. The Hawks sent the 13th pick to the New Orleans Pelicans for the 23rd pick and an unprotected first round pick that is the most favorable of the Pelicans or the Bucks.

Let me say that again. The Atlanta Hawks will get the most favorable pick between the Bucks and the Pelicans.

In an always tough Western Conference, the Pelicans are projected to be among the worst teams and very unlikely to be a playoff team. Milwaukee still has Giannis Antetokounmpo (for now), but the rest of that roster is very weak. Given the Bucks still get to play in the East and have one of the best players in the world, who is also durable and available. There is a good chance that the Hawks end up with a lottery pick, and it is not crazy to think they could even land in the top four if things break their way.

There was talk of the Hawks being interested in in Georgia forward Asa Newell with the No. 13 pick, but he fell to No. 23. Getting a prospect most had ranked in the top 15-20 while getting a potential top ten (top five?) pick in next year's draft is a heist.

ESPN's Kevin Pelton graded each team's draft and the Hawks were one of five teams that received an "A" grade:

"It almost didn't matter whom the Hawks took after getting an unprotected 2026 first-round pick -- the better of those from Milwaukee and New Orleans -- via the Pelicans to move down 10 spots. I might have made that trade straight up without getting No. 23. All the better that Atlanta took a prospect ranked 13th in my projections.

Time will tell if Newell cracks the rotation quickly enough to pair with newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis, but I love that fit because Porzingis' strengths fit perfectly with the shortcomings that make Newell a forward/center tweener."