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The offseason has arrived for 14 of the NBA's teams and two of the biggest dates when it comes to the NBA offseason is the draft lottery and the night of the draft.
The NBA settled the tiebreakers for various draft scenarios this week and they worked out very well in the Atlanta Hawks's favor.
Atlanta will likely have two picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. They lost a coin flip to the Sacramento Kings, but that turned out in Atlanta's favor. The Hawks own the Kings pick if it falls outside the top 12 and Sacramento will only have a 3.8% chance to climb into the top four and a less than one percent chance to get the top pick. Anything can happen, but Atlanta is likely to get the pick, which would be huge for them and their roster.
The other good news for the Hawks is that the Lakers won a tiebreaker with the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, and the LA Clippers. Second, third, and fourth place in the tiebreaker drawings went to Indiana, the LA Clippers, and Denver. Atlanta got the Lakers pick in the deal that sent Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans. The Hawks will own the No. 22 pick in the draft and unless the Kings jump into the top four of the lottery, they will have the No. 13 pick as well.
So who could the Hawks take in this draft, assuming that they keep both picks? In the latest mock draft from NoCeilings, Atlanta takes a pair of former five-star recruits who both fill big needs.
#13. ATLANTA HAWKS (via SAC) — Asa Newell | F/C | Georgia
- Profile: 6’11”, 220
- Year: Freshman (19)15.4 PTS | 6.9 REB | 0.9 AST | 1.0 STL | 1.0 BLK 54.3 FG% | 29.2 3P% | 74.8 FT% 33 Games | 29.1 MIN
: "The Hawks are in the midst of significant turnover, but they did enjoy a small slice of success in the name of player development. The acquisition of Dyson Daniels proved huge for the team. When Jalen Johnson played, he showed himself ready to take on a larger role. Onyeka Okungwu finally climbed Olympus to become the starting center. Zaccharie Risacher made several improvements that helped affirm him being taken #1. Bringing in a player that can help space the floor while protecting the rim would be a smart investment for this team, and that’s what selecting Asa Newell should do. While his efficiency from deep wasn’t pristine, Asa showed some promise as a plus-sized floor spacer. Not only that, but he showed some vision that could be used in DHO sets. On defense, Newell is a great help defender. Atlanta is showing an emphasis on size and two-way ability in recent drafts, and the in-state Newell fits the bill."
#22. ATLANTA HAWKS (via LAL) — Liam McNeeley | F | UConn
- Profile: 6’7”, 210
- Year: Freshman (19)14.5 PTS | 6.0 REB | 2.3 AST | 0.6 STL | 0.2 BLK 38.1 FG% | 31.7 3P% | 86.6 FT% 27 Games | 32.0 MIN
: "The Hawks will have a new front office for this draft, but in recent years, they’ve targeted big wings. McNeeley is one of the best spot-up shooters in this draft, but he also has a really high passing IQ. In a situation where he isn’t asked to create nearly as much as he was at UConn, McNeeley can thrive more as an off-ball scorer and creator. Snagging a shooter with McNeeley’s size and pedigree this late would be excellent value for the Hawks."
You can read the full mock draft here.
The Hawks have needs with forward depth and Newell fits the fill. He is not my favorite prospect in the draft, mostly due to floor spacing concerns, but he could give the Hawks size at the position and maybe even take a year to develop in College Park before he comes to make an impact for the Hawks.
McNeeley would give the Hawks much needed floor spacing and shooting off the bench. His athleticism leaves a lot to be desired, but he has a lot of upside when it comes to offense.
Additional Links
Grading the Tenure of Former Hawks General Manager Landry Fields
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