NBA Draft Expert Says Atlanta Will "Cast A Wide Net" With Their No. 1 Pick

Jackson Caudell | May 16, 2024

The Atlanta Hawks shocked the world on Sunday by winning the NBA Draft Lottery and there has already been a lot of speculation about what they are going to do with the pick that they just acquired. Will they stay put and and select a player, could they trade down a couple of spots and pick up more picks, or could they package the No. 1 pick to get a veteran player to help this team?

Since the Hawks won the lottery, there seems to be a consensus forming that they should keep the pick and take Alex Sarr, a 7'1 forward/center from France who checks a lot of the boxes the Hawks need on their team and is considered by many to be the prospect with the highest ceiling in the draft. He is the favorite to go with the No.1 pick, but this draft could also be the most unpredictable since the 2013 draft, which was famous for the shocking Anthony Bennett pick.

Yesterday at the NBA Draft Combine, ESPN's Jonathan Givony was talking about the Hawks and what they might do with the No. 1 pick and he suggested that there could be a wide net cast with that pick and suggested other players that could be in the mix with the pick:

"The Atlanta Hawks have a long process in front of them that includes interviews, medicals, workouts, background checks, and I think that they are going to cast a wide net here with Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher, Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, and Donovan Clingan. I think it is going to be quite a process here for them to figure out who they are going to take."

Went on the NBA Combine broadcast to talk about the Atlanta Hawks' options at No. 1. Which prospects might be in play, what their process will look like, and why things are still very much wide open at the top of this draft. pic.twitter.com/F3WloYCLzU

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 15, 2024

I fully expect Atlanta to go through and look at every possible outcome with the No. 1 pick, though I think Sarr should still be considered the favorite. I know that Givony mentioned Dillingham, but he is one of the few players at the top of this draft that I don't think the Hawks will take, even if they decide to trade Trae Young. Anything can happen, but I think the probability of the Hawks taking Dillingham is low. Matas Buzelis, a player that was not mentioned by Givony, is a player that is more likely to be considered for the No. 1 pick than Dillingham.

There are six weeks until the 2024 NBA Draft and it is going to be a curcial time period for the Hawks. Even if they did not land the No. 1 pick, it was going to be a huge offseason in Atlanta. This just adds another layer to it and the Hawks front office and decision makers need to make the right decisions to set this franchise up for the future.