Which 2026 NBA Draft Prospects Could Make Sense For the Atlanta Hawks?

While the Blue Devils lost Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel to the NBA, there hasn't been much expectation of a drop-off in the quality of team. That's because Cameron Boozer is next up. The son of former All-Star and All-NBA forward Carlos Boozer, the younger Boozer averaged 22.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game in his senior season. He's garnered a lot of praise for his outside shooting (43% career shooter from deep in high school) and ability to grab rebounds. He's a decent playmaker who sees the floor well and has a legitimate post game.

The question with Boozer is whether he can be a more nuanced player. Right now, he's heavily reliant on using his overwhelming strength and that may not work at the NBA level. His effectiveness as a ball-handler also warrants concern as he doesn't have the tightest handle. That might be a problem for a team like Atlanta, especially because they already seem set at the wing position with Jalen Johnson and possibly Zaccharie Risacher as he continues to develop. Still, Boozer will only be 19 years old as a rookie and wings typically take a long time to develop. He'll be a fun watch at Duke this season alongside twin brother Cayden Boozer.

Darryn Peterson - G, Kansas (18 years old)

If the Hawks do end up moving on from Trae Young, Peterson has to be at the top of their draft board. The NBA is trending towards larger and larger point guards. Players like Tyrese Haliburton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cade Cunningham are all 6'5+ and serve as the centerpieces of their offense while also being able to get stops on defense. Peterson could be the next player in that archetype. He's a 6'6 point guard who has an excellent handle and finds assists out of nowhere. As a senior in Ohio, he averaged 30.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.2 steals.

The thing that stands out about Peterson is his ability to change speeds. He plays at his own pace and confuses defenders by toggling between his elite first step and a slower pace. His skills allow him to create open looks for himself and others - there's no question that he's a highly refine player despite his age. However, he's still getting stronger due to his youth and it might take time for him to adjust to NBA-level strength.

AJ Dybantsa - F, BYU (18 years old)

As an athlete, there isn't much that you can criticize about AJ Dybantsa. He's a 6'9 wing with explosive leaping ability and a seven-foot wingspan to boot. Dybantsa isn't just an athlete - he has a solid handle for someone of his size and uses that combination of physicality and ball-handling to overwhelm opponents. On offense, he has a good midrange shot and uses it to punish defenders in the paint. His three-point shooting is still a work in progress, but it's entirely possible that his shooting from deep improves with time. Where he seperates himself is his transition offense - he covers ground incredibly quickly and has the athleticism to serve as a lob threat. He averaged 21.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game as a senior at Utah Prep.

His defense is marked by his extremely fluid hips and he can cover anyone. The idea of him being able to cover four positions one day in the NBA isn't far-fetched. The defensive consistency of Dybantsa isn't quite there yet, but the ceiling is very high and he should be the centerpiece of a BYU team that might make a Final Four run. For Atlanta, the combination of him and Jalen Johnson would be an absolute nightmare for opposing teams in transition and would make them one of the most athletic teams in the NBA.

Nate Ament Jr - F, Tennessee (19 years old)

Nate Ament isn't quite at the level of Dybantsa, Boozer or Peterson as talents. However, there is something to be said about how easy it could be to fit him onto a team like Atlanta. Young would be able to turn Ament into an immediate contributor due to the high level of shooting Ament already has. He is a great shooter from multiple different looks, whether off or on the ball. He's also an excellent midrange shooter for someone of his age and size. Ament's speed is also worth noting as a weapon in his arsenal and he possesses rare fluidity for a wing of his size. As a senior in the Virginia high school circuit, he averaged 19.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game

At the moment, he's not really much of a driver. He doesn't put pressure on the rim in the same way as Boozer, Dybantsa or Peterson. He is fairly young and it's possible that his athleticism improves with time as he begins to fill out. That being said, it's likely that Ament would be the pick if the Hawks fall out of the top three and they decide to re-sign Trae Young.

Mikel Brown - G, Louisville (19 years old)

Brown would make a lot of sense as a potential Trae Young replacement. In 13 games with Team Loaded NC on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, he averaged 24.2 points and 3.3 assists, shooting nearly 44% from 3-point range. He was also excellent in FIBA play, averaging 14.9 points and 6.1 assists per game on 47% from the field alongside players like Dybantsa. Brown's an incredibly versatile shooter who can score at all three levels and dishes out assists with ease. He's also quite fast, which should serve him well both with Louisville and at the NBA level.

Much like Peterson, he needs to get stronger. He also has more questions on defense because he is a bit smaller than Peterson and doesn't have the same level of athleticism. Still, there is a lot to be said about being able to land a Young replacement even if the Hawks fall out of the top three.

Honorable Mention: Caleb Wilson - F, North Carolina (19 years old)

Caleb Wilson wouldn't be a Young replacement and doesn't quite have a clear-cut role as a starter for Atlanta. However, he is an overwhelming physical force who excels on defense in a way that neither of the aforementioned players do. He's a good shot blocker, gets steals and transitions well into guarding multiple players. He's also an elite off-ball defender, which is incredibly hard to find in a prospect that is so young.

His shooting and ball-handling is just a massive question mark. Outside of being a post-up threat, he doesn't have a lot of scoring juice and his handle/playmaking is a huge question mark. He makes some simple reads, but it's not quite at the level of a true top-five pick. Selecting Wilson would be an all-in bet on building a ferocious defense, which the Hawks have never had in the Trae Young era.