News - Atlanta Hawks - Bulldog63
Odds & Prospects
The season has finally concluded for the Hawks, finishing a dismal 15-67. Now it is time to look forward to the moment that has been anticipated since the beginning of the season. The Hawks have invested heavily in this lottery; they have their own pick which is tied for the best odds at 14%, they have the pistons pick from the Damian Lillard trade which has the 4th best odds at 12.5%, and they have the sacramento pick from the Jalen Green trade, which has the 5th best odds at 10.5%. Add it all up and it means the Hawks have a whopping 37% chance to land #1 overall.
Unfortunately, much has been made about this year's lack of truly guaranteed top talent compared to most years, but there are still a few tantalizing guys near the top of the draft. So who could the Hawks be targeting? Well it's no secret that they are pretty thin at the 4 and 5 slots and flush with guards, so let's examine the bigs who could be on the radar:
Alex Sarr:
Sarr is getting close to unanimously mocked at #1 overall, and it's easy to see why. He's good defensively, has started to show a bit of range, and just overall seems to have a very high floor in a draft that's full of volatile prospects who have fluctuated all season. Sarr has been at or near the top constantly, he just seems to be a really solid guy who, while he may never develop into a star, can certainly project as a regular starter at the very least.
Donovan Clingan:
A 2-time national champ, Clingan rocketed up draft boards late in the season and is now being mocked in the lottery, if not top 5. Clingan is more of a traditional big with great size and touch around the rim, but lacks polish at range, shooting a mere 28% from 3 this season while only being a 57% FT shooter. Still, the fact he at least took those 3s gives hope that perhaps he can develop that part of his game, but like Sarr he seems to have a solid floor; he avg'd 2.5 blocks per game, and coupled with his physical tools he looks to be a solid rim protector.
Zach Edey:
Possibly the most polarizing player in the entire draft, there are as many opinions on his NBA stock as there were points he scored during his college career. Originally a big do-nothing body who could score inside and little else, edey's progressed quite a bit during his 4-year career but still has the same overall game. Let's start with the pros to his game: he has great size, at 7-4. He's a solid finisher at the rim and has developed a decent FT stroke, shooting over 70% this season. He's clearly a force overall in the paint. Cons, however: No range to speak of, he's very much a traditional big. The biggest concern teams have is his speed or lack thereof. It's a common projection that he'll get roasted at the NBA level because he's just a lumbering behemoth. It's going to be hard for him to become a full time starter if that holds true, but he could stick around in some rotations if he sticks to his strengths. Wiseman is much the same player but on an even lankier frame and he's kicking around.
Yves Missi:
Missi is the polar opposite of every other big in this draft - young, mobile, and volatile potential. Much like Edey he's more of a traditional big on offense, being limited to finishers. However, he's truly a menace on defense, having good agility, footwork, and instincts; he's not limited to rim protecting. He's a one-and-done in the NCAA so a team taking him will need to be patient and okay with the risk he represents. But he has perhaps the most upside of any big in this draft.
Kyle Filipowski:
Filipowski is more offense-oriented than anyone on the list, as he's a really good stretch big with good passing vision. He shot almost 35% from 3, so while he only shot 67% from the FT line, there is at least a modicum of hope that he can round out that part of his game. If he can just be respectable there, it'll open up his other main selling point, his passing. He averaged almost 3 assists per game last season which is great for a college big. With how much jokic is tearing the league up right now, there's undoubtedly going to be teams who are looking to emulate that kind of player. However, his defense leave something to be desired as he's only 7', which is a bit undersized compared to some of the other bigs in this draft, and he doesn't have outstanding athleticism. This will probably be a fit-based pick more than anything, by a team looking to emulate what IRL Golden State or Denver have going on with their offensive juggernauts based on a hub at the 5.
Ultimately, if the Hawks don't get #1, expect them to try extremely hard to trade up to it, as Sarr is undoubtedly the apple of their eye. But if that isn't possible, they may instead try to trade down and not reach for one of these other prospects as well. We definitely don't see them taking any guards or wings at this point.
© 2019|
All Rights Reserved |
About Us |
NBA SIMS LEAGUE