Hawks add two high-level guards in ESPN’s latest mock draft

Despite not moving up into the top four following the lottery, the Hawks are still left with two ultra-valuable picks — #8 and #23 — in a draft class that is expected to produce high-level players up and down the first round.

In Jeremy Woo of ESPN’s first mock draft post-lottery, he has the Hawks attacking their guard problem, adding two potentially impact scorers

Pick #8 — Mikel Brown Jr., PG/SG, Louisville 

“The Hawks lack a true point guard after moving on from Trae Young, and Brown’s perimeter playmaking makes him an intriguing fit if they opt to go in that direction,” Woo writes.

The Hawks were somehow able to surge up the standings in the Eastern Conference with a tremendous second half despite not really having a point guard on the entire roster. The playmaking of Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels made it doable, but that’s not a sustainable formula if Atlanta wants to become legitimate contenders.

Point guard is undoubtedly the Hawks top need heading into the draft, right up there with a rim-protecting big. However, it’s much easier to find a seven-footer that can block shots than it is a floor general with an All-Star ceiling.

“Brown’s back injury made it difficult for him to boost his stock in-season, making the predraft process critical for showing teams he is healthy and reminding them of his significant offensive talent,” Woo continued. “His positional size, shooting ability and passing skills should stand out in workout settings, but he needs a positive spring to work his way further up the board in a guard-heavy lottery, with Darius Acuff, Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings all having outstanding seasons. There are still scouts who view Brown’s upside as the highest of the group, but it might take some work for him to leap ahead of the other top guards.”

If the Atlanta Hawks stay at No. 8, it really feels like they’ll end up selecting whichever player is left from the Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr. group — all freshman guards that starred for Power 4 programs this past season.

At that point, it really becomes a beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder type of conversation.

Brown probably showed the most inconsistency of the four, and health was an issue for him throughout the season. However, the way he closed the year is exactly why scouts remain so intrigued by his ceiling. Over his final seven games, Brown averaged 23.3 points and 4.0 assists while shooting 46.4% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc. That’s the type of offensive upside he brings to the table

Pick #23 — Isaiah Evans, SG, Duke

“Adding more perimeter shooting would be beneficial for the Hawks as they continue to build around the rising Jalen Johnson,” Woo writes. “They don’t have a clear positional need beyond adding a long-term point guard — something they might be able to do in the lottery — and can consider several directions with this second pick.”

I vehemently disagree with Woo’s statement on the Hawks not having a clear need outside of point guard. Anybody who watched a single quarter of Atlanta’s six-game series with the Knicks would have recognized their lack of size in the front court. However, drafting for need in any draft, but especially in the NBA, is foolish. It is best player available every time Onsi Saleh is on the clock.

Evans was a fun player to watch at Duke, a guy that isn’t afraid to chuck it up and shot it at a 38% clip from beyond the arc over his two seasons in college. He has good size and length for the shooting guard position, giving him the upside to be a potential starter at the next level, which would be a great find at pick #23.