3 Potential Draft Targets for the Hawks’ Backup Center at Pick 22

While Raynaud’s offensive ceiling is high, questions arise on the defensive end. He will likely struggle defensively against stronger centers in the post. He also lacks the quickness to be a reliable weak-side shot blocker early in his career. Raynaud fits in Atlanta because he can play behind and next to Okongwu, who has improved his three-point shooting last season. A Gueye and Raynaud reserve frontcourt gives the Hawks great length. Gueye struggles more offensively, but he could mitigate some of Rayanud’s deficiencies on defense.

Hansen Yang Shows Flashes of a High-IQ Player at Center

Hansen Yang is rising late first-round consideration since the combine started. The 7-foot-1-inch, 252-pound center out of China averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 boards, and 2.6 blocks in the CBA last season. His passing vision and ability to make reads as a ball handler are rare at his size. Whether Yang has the ball at the low block, elbow, or perimeter, he can punish defenses with the pass. This dime from the three-point line to hit a cutter had people buzzing about his playmaking ceiling.

Yang uses his body well and takes advantage of mismatches easily with a soft touch. He possesses solid shooting mechanics but struggled at the charity stripe (67.1%), even though he can knock down face-up mid-rangers. His lack of lateral quickness limits his defensive versatility, and he is not a reliable lob threat. The Hawks have relied on Okongwu and Capela’s athleticism in the pick-and-roll for years. However, Yang’s court vision meshes well with head coach Quin Snyder’s motion, quick-thinking offense. At just 19 years old, Yang might not be ready to make an impact quickly in his NBA career, but he certainly comes with upside for the future.

Ryan Kalkbrenner Could Make an Impact Early in His Career

Ryan Kalbrenner improved every season at Creighton. He played five in total, averaging 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in his final season. The 7-foot-1-inch center is a classic shot blocker and dominant presence down low. He shot 65.3% from the field this season, routinely catching tough passes in traffic and finishing with ease. Kalkbrenner also started to expand his offensive game to the perimeter. He finished his fifth season shooting 21-61 from beyond the arc. At 23 years old, he has limited upside but could enter the Hawks’ rotation early with his experience. He is more of a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll than Yang, and he has great hands to handle pocket passes or lobs from Trae Young.

Kalbrenner is one of the best on-ball post defenders and weakside shot blockers in this class. However, he is limited to playing in drop coverage due to his lack of mobility. He struggles to defend in space. As a result, quick guards often punish him if he switches onto them. Many NBA teams are shying away from drop defenses due to the abundance of talented offensive guards. Due to the lack of depth behind Okongwu, these prospects could find themselves playing backup center in Atlanta earlier than some might expect.