Hawks’ best options for No. 1 pick in 2024 NBA Draft

The beauty of the NBA Draft Lottery is that no one truly knows what will happen. That could not have been more true during the 2024 version of the event.  The Atlanta Hawks jumped all the way from the tenth spot to the very top, earning the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

This offseason was looking like a moment of truth for the Hawks. The Trae Young and Dejounte Murray backcourt has not worked for two seasons now. Failing to make the playoffs this year begged questions about the viability of those two together and the franchise’s future altogether.

This stroke of luck in the lottery will help ease tensions in Atlanta. The Hawks will have plenty of options with the number one pick, but the best ones may be to stay put and draft a new franchise building block.

Hawks draft Alex Sarr

Many post-lottery mock drafts have pegged French forward Alex Sarr as the primary target for Atlanta. That would make a lot of sense for a number of reasons. For one, he already has professional experience. He played roughly 17 minutes per game for the Perth Wildcats, a team that made the Finals in the NBL this season. Sarr was extremely productive in those minutes. On a per-36-minute basis, he put up 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks on 52/60.5/29.8/71.4 shooting splits.

Sarr was also an outstanding defensive player, which is most likely where he will make his bones in the NBA. He can anchor a defense at the center spot or defend guards and wings on the perimeter. He’s garnered comparisons to Cleveland’s Evan Mobley for that reason and it’s not hard to see the similarities.

Sarr has work to do offensively, however. He shot just 29.8% from three this season in Australia and 71.4% from the free throw line. In addition to that, he finished with more turnovers (26) on the year than assists (21). But Sarr is a physical slasher who flashes some feel and playmaking with some real pop around the basket as a rim runner. He looks like a great fit next to Trae Young.