B/R's 2016 NBA Re-Draft Sees Hawks Take Elite Warriors Defender

What would a re-draft of the 2016 draft look like?

Feb 6, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) moves to the basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Hindsight is 20/20, but when you are nearly nine years removed from a certain draft, it can be pretty easy to go back and look at what your favorite team should have done. Looking back at the 2016 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks made some interesting moves. They drafted DeAndre Bembry with the 21st pick and in a three team trade a few weeks later, acquired Taurean Prince from the Utah Jazz. Prince and Bembry did not have long careers with the Hawks however as Atlanta would be transitioning into a new era soon centered around Trae Young.

If there were to be a redraft, what should the Hawks have done? Bleacher Report's Dan Favale recently did a re-draft and he had the Hawks selecting Warriors guard Gary Payton II:

Original Pick: DeAndre' Bembry

Gary Payton II's Original Draft Position: Undrafted

"Kris Dunn and Gary Payton II coming off the board back-to-back feels appropriate. Both the strengths and weaknesses of their games are eerily similar.

Payton has demonstrated more as a screener and off-ball mover. But Dunn is slightly bigger and younger and, more importantly, has proved more durable.

Make sure you're pouring one out for Payton anyway. Going from undrafted to No. 21 is a huge deal, and if he ever ferries any type of real catch-and-shoot volume from deep, the 32-year-old has a ceiling that's three or so spots higher."

It is impossible to say if Payton would have stuck around and been on the Hawks if they had drafted him. Atlanta made one more playoff appearance in 2016-2017, losing to the Washington Wizards in the first round, but they immediately went into a rebuild after that. Payton is an elite defender when healthy, but also does not bring much on the offensive end of the floor. He has turned out to be a better overall player than Bembry was for the Hawks, but because they were picking so low in the draft, it was unlikely the Hawks were going to find a real difference maker there in the first place.

But again, hindsight is 20/20 when it comes to looking at past drafts.

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