Hawks Looking to Trade into Top 10 at 2025 NBA Draft

It seems that in a potentially weak 2025-26 Eastern Conference, the Hawks are ready to land a splash player in the draft to help them make a deep playoff push that they haven't seen since their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. Since then, the Hawks roster has almost seen almost a complete turnover, with Trae Young and Onyeka Okongwu as the only remaining members.

The roster now consists of athletic, defensive-minded wings surrounding Young like Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and 2024's No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. Johnson and Risacher were both drafted by the Hawks, and are Atlanta's biggest hits on draft picks of the last four drafts. Due to their success in developing raw wings and forwards, the Hawks may look to keep that trend up in 2025.

If so, a probable target is Ratiopharm Ulm's Noa Essengue, an 18-year-old forward drawing serious top 10 buzz. Last measured in 2024, he stands at 6-foot-10 with a 6-foot-11-inch wingspan, and could be bigger. Essengue's frame and aggressiveness gives him potential to become another elite NBA defender for the Hawks to place alongside Trae Young.

Albeit smaller moves around the margins, the Hawks have been active on draft night in recent years, having made a trade in each of the last three drafts. The real challenge will be finding a team within the top 10 who's willing to trade down in favor of multiple selections. If the Rockets keep the No. 10 overall pick, they could be a contender to acquire both of Atlanta's first rounders – the same can be said about the Raptors as well.