# Atlanta Hawks Draft Talk



## ATLien

1.) How far can we fall in the standings?
2.) What players do you like for Atlanta?

If tonight's score holds, Atlanta will be 1-10 in it's last 11 games and only 2 or 3 games ahead of Detroit and inching towards lottery territory. Depending on how the season ends, we'll be picking in the 12-17 range.


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## BlakeJesus

Hawks should be looking at every position but PG, honestly.


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## ATLien

BlakeJesus said:


> Hawks should be looking at every position but PG, honestly.


Would you go with the BPA or opt for the prospect with the highest ceiling? 

Atlanta has two recent all-stars at PF and C, and good glue guys at every other position. That's not to say they don't have holes, but they have fewer than other lottery teams. They might be able to afford to take a chance on a "boom or bust" prospect, but it probably depends on if any trades are made.


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## BlakeJesus

Paul Millsap only signed a two year deal this past offseason, so I would be careful considering him a long term piece. I think it would be great if he was brought back, but there's no guarantee.

I'd say go BPA, but if there is a debate between a few guys and one of them seems to have a higher ceiling than the others, I think that would be a great move.

It depends what the front office thinks of Lucas Nogueira as well, 1st round pick youngster from last year.


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## ATLien

Other than the rookies, Horford, Korver and Teague are the only players under contract after next season and all three of them are tradeable. We could really do almost anything and have plenty of room to sign big FA's by then. Flexible roster.


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## ATLien

http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/...Mock-Draft-Atlanta-Hawks-Draft-Board-Rankings

Good look at guys who might be there in the teens when Atlanta picks


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## BlakeJesus

Definitely should be able to bring in a quality rotation rookie right away, will be some talent on the board around where the Hawks should be picking.


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## Diable

K.J McDaniels is the best player in the ACC? I guess I was late to that newsflash. He's a good college scorer, but that's a laughable assessment. He doesn't even mention TJ Warren who is likely the sort of guy the Hawks would be looking at where they are drafting (if he does not stay for his junior year, which would make sense given that he'd be a top 10 pick in a normal draft).


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## ATLien

Knicks passed ATL for the 8th seed which means we now hold the 11th worst record in the NBA and only two games behind Cleveland for 10th.


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## ATLien

So, we get the 15th pick? We're definitely the worst team in the playoffs.


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## ATLien

ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman updated his latest mock offering last week and projects Duke shooting guard Rodney Hood to the Atlanta Hawks at No. 15.



> Analysis: The Hawks need a scorer on the wing to go along with point guard Jeff Teague and forwards Al Horford (when healthy) and Paul Millsap. Kyle Korver can shoot it, but Hood can be a versatile scorer.


Goodman has Hood going two picks behind Kentucky's James Young and three back of Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart who he has tumbling down to No. 12. Goodman projects P.J. Hairston, T.J. Warren, Zach Lavine and Jusuf Nurkic to be picked immediately behind Hood.


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## RollWithEm

I just can't see Marcus Smart falling outside the top 10.


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## 29380

Not a Hood fan poor defense player and I though his offense was more of a product of the way Duke played than his on ability.


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## BlakeJesus

I think Kyle Anderson should be somebody the Hawks look at. He's a SF/PF tweener who isn't the most athletic, but he would be a great fit off the bench. He would provide a unique dynamic, and if it translates, could end up being the teams starting SF at some point.

I could see Bud having a real vision with him.


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## ATLien

Starting to think James Young will be off the board by 15


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## ATLien

> Kyle Anderson will work out for the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, source told ESPN.


14.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists per game at UCLA this season. Pretty good numbers. The scouting report I'm looking at now says he's a good passer, not super athletic, good size, not great defensively, slow feet.


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## BlakeJesus

I could see him fitting in very well in with Buds offense system, he's currently my favorite option for the Hawks pick unless somebody falls that you wouldn't expect to.


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## ATLien

BlakeJesus said:


> I could see him fitting in very well in with Buds offense system, he's currently my favorite option for the Hawks pick unless somebody falls that you wouldn't expect to.


what's a good player comparison?

Not sure we bring back Mike Scott so another forward makes sense.


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## BlakeJesus

Not R-Star said:


> what's a good player comparison?
> 
> Not sure we bring back Mike Scott so another forward makes sense.


He is a pretty unique player. Rebounds well, passes well, seems to be a good shooter even though he has a slow release.

I haven't put a ton of thought into it, but off the cuff I think he's like a poor mans Paul Pierce with more potential as a passer. He'll never be the offensive threat that Paul was, but their playstyle should be similar otherwise (could look similar too since they have similar body types).


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## ATLien

We probably know who is going in the top six, but 7-14 is up in the air. Let us assume that the top eight goes: Embiid, Parker, Wiggins, Exum, Randle, Smart, Vonleh, Gordon.

1. Dario Saric, SF/PF (6'10, 223), 20, Croatia
2. James Young, SG/SF (6'7, 202), FR, Kentucky
3. Gary Harris, SG (6'5, 210), SO, Michigan State
4. Kyle Anderson, SF (6'8, 233), SO, UCLA
5. T.J. Warren, SF/PF (6'8, 230), SO, North Carolina State
6. Jusuf Nurkic, C (6'11, 280), 19, Bosnia
7. Rodney Hood, SF (6'8, 201), SO, Duke
8. Clint Capela, PF/C (6'10, 211), 20, Switzerland
9. Tyler Ennis, PG (6'2, 180), FR, Syracuse
10. K.J. McDaniels, SG/SF (6'6, 198), JR, Clemson

Others: 
Adreian Payne, PF (6'9, 215), SR, Michigan State
Nik Stauskas, SG (6'6, 190), SO, Michigan
Doug McDermott, SF (6'8, 223), SR, Creighton
Zach LaVine, SG (6'5, 180), FR, UCLA
P.J. Hairston, SG (6'5, 227), 21, NBDL/North Carolina
Jerami Grant, PF (6'8, 196), SO, Syracuse

The team's biggest needs are probably a perimeter defender who can shoot and a forward to replace Mike Scott if he is not re-signed. The only rotation players who are not under contract for next season are Elton Brand and Scott, so Atlanta would be able to stash an international player overseas for a year or two.

Add on any other players that would be good for Atlanta.


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## BlakeJesus

Saric would be the highest on my board of "realistic" prospects as well, he would fit in so well.

I would have Stauskas higher, McDermott too.

Kyle Anderson is somebody I would be happy to see selected, his skillset is so unique.


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## bball2223

Anderson is a pretty unique offensive player, but he will always be a defensive liability and he needs to work on his shooting. I'm not super high on him, but I could see him fitting in Atlanta with the shooters he would be surrounded with. 

I think Hairston needs some consideration here. Roy Williams said he is the most talented wing player he has ever coached at UNC. He can score in a variety of ways, he's athletic, and I think he's got the potential to be a good pro for a long time.


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## ATLien

http://www.nba.com/hawks/5-guys-hawks-nba-draft-radar

Cool 3-minute video. Talks about Rodney Hood, James Young, Doug McDermott, Adreian Payne and Gary Harris being in the mix for Atlanta.


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## ATLien

BlakeJesus said:


> Saric would be the highest on my board of "realistic" prospects as well, he would fit in so well.
> 
> I would have Stauskas higher, McDermott too.
> 
> Kyle Anderson is somebody I would be happy to see selected, his skillset is so unique.


Saric sounds awesome, but it looks like he only wants to play for the Celtics or Lakers. Weird.


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## ATLien

Round up of some rumors around the internet:

Schröder + #15 for #8 ?


> ESPN.com's Chad Ford mentioned that the Sacramento Kings are still interested in Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schröder. Ford reports that the Kings showed some interest in Minnesota's Kevin Love but have lowered their sights to guys like Schröder and MIlwaukee's Brandon Knight.


Zach Lowe on Stephenson to Atlanta being a possibility. I will pass.


> Atlanta Hawks: No one can figure these guys out, which means Danny Ferry is doing his thing. They have cap flexibility and a good roster, though they dangled Al Horford at last year’s trade deadline in a very targeted fashion, per sources around the league.
> 
> I love DeMarre Carroll, but any team starting him has a need on the wing. Look at this starting lineup: Jeff Teague, Stephenson, Kyle Korver, Horford, Paul Millsap. Hell, you can start Pero Antic at center and bring Millsap off the bench. Anyone in the East dying to face that team in the playoffs?
> 
> But Ferry comes from the Spurs tree, which means he prizes coachability and quiet workers. Mike Budenholzer is a shooting zealot, and Stephenson might not be a good enough marksman yet to pique his interest.


Chad Ford has us taking UCLA G Zach LeVine in his latest mock draft


> The Hawks biggest need is shooting, especially from the 2. While LaVine is trying to show everyone that he's a point guard and might be down the road, most teams think that, at least at the beginning of his career, he's more likely to be a 2. His athleticism and shooting ability, along with terrific upside make him a very intriguing prospect. Two other players to watch here are Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic and Latvia's Kristaps Porzingis. The Hawks have spent a lot of time scouting both players and have been fearless in taking international prospects in the past. Both possess major upside.


Marc Spears has us taking C Jusuf Nurkic in his latest mock draft


> 15. Atlanta Hawks: Jusuf Nurkic, Croatia Cedevita Zagreb, C, 6-11, 280 - Selecting Nurkic would allow the Hawks to move Al Horford to his more natural power forward position.


Draft Express has us taking PF Kristaps Porzingis in their latest mock draft


> Porzingis has reportedly received assurances he'll be selected in the top-15 of the draft as enticement to stay in at the June 16th deadline according to sources close to the situation, and still needs to decide if he wants to accept that. He would likely stay another year in Spain and come over in 2015. It's possible that with another year of seasoning Porzingis could be selected much higher than this, but there are no assurances of that materializing. The Hawks have shown no qualms in the past about doling out promises to international prospects (for example Giannis Antetokounmpo last year), and many NBA teams feel strongly that they are the ones who offered him the guarantee.


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## ATLien

Andrew (Philly): Which teams would potentially be looking to trade up into the top three? Would the Cavs, Bucks, or Sixers have any interest?

Chad Ford: Of the three, I think the Cavs are the most interested in trading the pick. The Bucks and Sixers are in a rebuild and highly value those picks they have. The Cavs are going to want a youngish veteran All-Star in return. Kevin Love is the obvious choice here. Joakim Noah. LaMarcus Aldridge. Al Horford. That's what it is going to take.


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## BlakeJesus

Why would the Hawks want to trade Dennis? Though I suppose, if it's allowing them to draft somebody like Dario Saric or Doug McDermott, that could be enticing.


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## ATLien

Well, he was a non-lottery pick in a terrible draft. Didn't look that great as a rookie. I'd jump at the chance to get something out of him.


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## ATLien

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/krista...y-in-europe-for-another-season-011502539.html

In somewhat of a surprise, 7-foot Kristaps Porzingis has pulled out of this month's NBA draft and will return to Europe for the next year, his agent Andy Miller told Yahoo Sports on Sunday night.

Porzingis, 18, had a chance to be a top-20 pick in the draft, but believes he can move even higher in the 2015 draft. He's a versatile and offensively gifted forward.

International players have until Monday to withdraw from the draft.


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## BlakeJesus

Gary Harris the SG from Michigan State looks like a really good fit. He's a high IQ player, willing defender, and can shoot the ball...that seems to be the type the Hawks are looking for.


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## ATLien

BlakeJesus said:


> Gary Harris the SG from Michigan State looks like a really good fit. He's a high IQ player, willing defender, and can shoot the ball...that seems to be the type the Hawks are looking for.


Can he really shoot that well? I was under the impression that he'd be our second best defender immediately, but that he would need to develop his shooting more. He sounds like the SG version of Demarre Carroll, but I don't watch much college ball.


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## BlakeJesus

ATLien said:


> Can he really shoot that well? I was under the impression that he'd be our second best defender immediately, but that he would need to develop his shooting more. He sounds like the SG version of Demarre Carroll, but I don't watch much college ball.





> Harris's shooting breakdown, however, stands out in two areas that explain his middle-of-the-road efficiency. 74.7% of Harris's shot attempts last season were jump shots, the second largest percentage of any player in this group. He scored a top-5 ranked 1.05 points per-shot on those attempts. In contrast, Harris scored .982 points per shot around the rim in the half court, the 3rd lowest mark among players in this group. Getting to the rim for just 1.6 shots per-game in the half court, Harris didn't do much damage in close outside of transition, limiting his efficiency despite his solid shooting from the outside.


http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Gary-Harris-6273/

So he would fit in with a motion offense like the Hawks quite well, and his effectiveness would probably benefit from having more talent around him as well as better looks due to the ball movement and spacing (took 6.6 three pointers per game in college at 35.2%). It would also be nice because he wouldn't really be asked to finish at the rim, which is apparently not a strong suit of his (and that typically doesn't get better when you go to the NBA).


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## ATLien

Ouch



> *Gary Harris: * The two-way shooting guard measured a bit short at only 6-2 ½ without shoes to go along with a 6-6 ¾ wingspan. Harris' measurements have ranged anywhere from 6-4 to 6-6 with shoes over the years, so the combine measurement certainly comes as a disappointment for NBA teams and the Spartans shooting guard.


Then again, if he was 6'6 he'd probably go a lot higher in the draft than 15. He still might, anyways. I like Harris. I'd certainly take him over Levine who is all athleticism and not much else.

The five guys I'm most interested in are probably Stauskas, McDermott, Saric, Harris and Nurkic. Nurkic is very interesting. I do not mind stashing a guy overseas since our rotation is already pretty set and we'd have more money to use in free agency.

I also like James Young, but his stock is falling like crazy.


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## BlakeJesus

Dario Saric deciding to stay overseas for two years minimum means he's likely going from a fringe Top 10 pick to somebody who falls out of the lottery. Not a lock of course, but there is now a real possibility of the Hawks being able to snag him at 15. What a great pick that would be.


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## ATLien

BlakeJesus said:


> Dario Saric deciding to stay overseas for two years minimum means he's likely going from a fringe Top 10 pick to somebody who falls out of the lottery. Not a lock of course, but there is now a real possibility of the Hawks being able to snag him at 15. What a great pick that would be.


I agree. The chance of whoever we pick at #15 being a starter in their first two seasons is probably slim to none, anyways. Why I am in favor of drafting a guy we can stash overseas. I am also beginning to talk myself into liking Nurkic, seeing him get compared to Pekovic and Gasol.


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## ATLien

Chad Ford:



> The Hawks like international players and Nurkic would be a strong possibility if he's here. They'd also take a long look at Saric if he falls this far, though waiting two years might scare them away.
> Kyle Anderson is another strong possibility here. Head coach Mike Budenholzer got to see first-hand how the Spurs used Boris Diaw. Anderson is the closest thing we've seen to him since Diaw entered the league, and the word is the Hawks are very high on him.
> However, the Hawks are also not completely sold on Jeff Teague and could explore the market for him this summer. That's led to them to take long looks at both Shabazz Napier and Payton at No. 15 if something materializes in the next few days. Napier, especially, seems to have gained momentum in workouts the past few weeks and sources say he's moved into a strong possibility in Atlanta.​


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## ATLien

Thoughts on the Adreian Payne pick? He wasn't on my radar, but I like what I am reading about him. The team definitely wanted Dario Saric, but Philly got him.


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## ATLien

*Hawks Draft:

15. *Adreian Payne PF	Michigan State, Sr 
*43. *Walter Tavares C	Gran Canaria, Intl
*48. *Lamar Patterson SG	Pittsburgh, Sr


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## ATLien

I guess our summer league team will look something like this:

PG: Schröder
SG: Jenkins
SF: Patterson
PF: Payne, Muscala
C: Nogueira, Tavares


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## BlakeJesus

Payne does appear to be a logical fit with the style of play in Atlanta (not to mention that freaky 7'4" wingspan), can't argue too much there. Though Gary Harris and James Young were still on the board too, and I think they would have been good fits too.

Lamar Patterson is a very interesting 2nd round pick. 6'5" with a 6'11" wingspan, put up 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal and a half this past year at Pitt. Also worth noting he shot 38.8% from three on 5.7 attempts per game. Solid all around game with the passing and shooting ability to stick in an offense like this, I think he can make the roster.

Tavares seems more like a random gamble, touted as a rebounder/rim protector, but also an EXTREMLY low usage offensive player. Apparently he only started playing the sport a few years ago, so even though he's 22, he could potentially have a lot of room to grow. We will see if he lands himself a roster spot or not.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt

I like this draft you for guys. Payne should be a solid stretch 4, and Patterson could be a steal.


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