With 11 games left on their schedule, the Hawks are tied with the Magic for the third-worst record in the NBA. If the Hawks finish last in the standings they'll have the best odds to win the No. 1 pick in the draft and would be guaranteed to select no later than fourth overall. The Hawks also own the rights to Houston's first-round pick and will acquire Minnesota's first-round pick if the Timberwolves (41-31) make the playoffs — FiveThirtyEight.com gives them a 96 percent chance of doing so.
Here’s a look at the players some recent mock drafts predict the Hawks will select.
Luka Doncic, SF, Real Madrid of Liga ACB, (No. 2 pick)
Givony’s take: “His body is paying the toll for (no offseason) now, as he clearly hit a wall in February and was recently shut down by Real Madrid for at least a couple of weeks . . . Doncic would be a dream selection for the Hawks because he has the size, skill and versatility to fit in well alongside all their existing talent, while also possessing star potential in his own right.”
Dzanan Musa, SF, Cedevita of Croatian League (No. 22 via Timberwolves)
Devonte’ Graham, PG, Kansas (No. 20 via Rockets)
Jaren Jackson Jr., C, Michigan State (No. 3 pick)
Woo’s take: “He’s really helped himself over the course of the season, flashing a greater offensive skill level than expected and making a tangible defensive impact, able to guard in space and provide weak-side help. His 5.7 blocks per-40 minutes are a wild statistic. Jackson needs to mature physically and mentally and is probably a few years away from being able to anchor a winning team, but Atlanta has time to let him grow.”
Anfernee Simons, PG/SG, IMG Academy (No. 23 pick via Timberwolves)
Woo’s take: “Teams will have additional opportunities to evaluate Simons in April as he’s set to appear in the Hoop Summit and Jordan Brand Classic before presumably testing the draft waters. He’s got a lot of intriguing traits, with high-level explosiveness, great foot speed and developing three-point range.”
Devonte’ Graham, PG, Kansas (No. 30 pick via Rockets)
Woo’s take: “Graham is viewed as a safe bet to be a useful ball-handler, though not a star. His production was consistent at Kansas, although he shot just 39.2% on two-point shots and struggles to finish at the rim sometimes.”
Luka Doncic (No. 3 pick)
Forgrave’s take: “Doncic is a versatile and confident wing; his confidence might be the one thing that sets him apart over every player in this draft. What if he's a taller Manu Ginobili? I'd take that.”
Hamidou Diallo, PG, Kentucky (No. 19 pick via Timberwolves)
Austin Wiley, C, Auburn (No. 30 pick via Rockets)
Marvin Bagley III, PF/C, Duke (No. 3 pick)
My take on Bagley in February: "The team that drafts Bagley will get a polished scorer in the paint with impressive athleticism and off-the-charts college production. Those attributes make Bagley an outstanding prospect. But Bagley's relatively short reach means he could struggle to protect the rim as an NBA center. Bagley may be best suited to play power forward but a team that slots him there would be gambling that he can develop a 3-point shot."
Lonnie Walker IV, SF, Miami (No. 17 pick via Timberwolves)
My take on Walker in January: "The NBA is in love with long, multi-positional wings who can make 3-pointers. After standing next to Walker I'd say he's closer to 6-4 than 6-5, which would make him short for an NBA wing. But Walker's wingspan is legit and he's solidly built for his age so he could be effective as a defender against taller opponents in the pros. It remains to be seen if he can develop his shooting touch."
Trevon Duval, PG, Duke (No. 30 pick via Rockets)
Marvin Bagley III (No. 4 pick)
Anfernee Simons (No. 20 via Timberwolves)
Hamidou Diallo (No. 30 via Rockets)
Michael Porter Jr., PF, Missouri (No. 3 pick)
Porter missed all but three games during his freshman season because of back surgery. He was hurt during the season opener and then returned to play two postseason games.
Troy Brown, PG/SG, Oregon (No. 21 pick via Timberwolves)
Hamidou Diallo (No. 30 via Rockets)
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