The Atlanta Hawks Finally Had Some Luck In The NBA Draft Lottery. Now They Have to Make it Count

Jackson Caudell | May 12, 2024

May 12, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; A overall shot of the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone and the clear winner of the lottery was the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks came into the day with only a 3% chance to get the No. 1 overall pick, but they emerged as winners of the lottery for the first time in franchise history. This was going to be an eventful offseason for Atlanta no matter where they selected, but winning the No. 1 pick when you only have a 3% chance to get it is huge.

This was the first time that the Hawks have ever had luck in the lottery. In 2020, their pre-lottery position was 4th, but they fell to 6th, missing out on a chance to draft Anthony Edwards. In 2019, Atlanta's pre-draft position was 5th, but they fell three spots to 8th and missed out on taking Zion Williamson. Atlanta had never moved up more than two spots in the lottery before yesterday.

Now, I am sure you have heard and read that this is one of the weakest drafts of all time and I would agree that it is not a strong draft. There is not a Victor Wembanyama, Zion Williamson, or Anthony Edwards type of talent in the draft, but that does not mean that there are not good players or guys that can't make an impact. I will also reiterate that winning the lottery with only a 3% chance is huge, no matter the draft.

This was day one of what is going to be a big offseason in Atlanta. Since making the Eastern Conference Finals, Atlanta has had two first-round playoff exits, and this year they missed the playoffs altogether. There is a lot of speculation about Atlanta breaking up the backcourt duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray because the results have been subpar on the court, to say the least. The Young/Murray question along with what they do with the No. 1 overall pick are going to be the biggest decisions for the Hawks this summer.

With winning the lottery yesterday, the Hawks were handed a golden ticket and they can use it to help remake this roster.

If Atlanta opts to keep the pick, they could take Alex Sarr, who is the favorite to be the first player taken next month. Atlanta has been looking for bigger and more athletic players with length to put around Trae Young and elevate this defense. Sarr would elevate the Hawks defense immediately and if Atlanta decides to keep Young, it would give him the most talented big man that he has played with. Sarr's biggest concerns come on offense, but playing with Young would help him on that end. I think Sarr is the most talented player in the draft and would fit on the team perfectly.

He is not perfect though and if there is a chance for a surprise pick at No.1, this is the year. Guys like Donovan Clingan, Zaccharie Risacher, Ron Holland, and Matas Buzelis could still be considered with the No. 1 pick. All of those are talented players that would fit in with the Hawks and all of them fill a need. They are bigger risks than Sarr would be, but don't count out any scenario at No.1.

A big reason why moving up is so huge is that the No. 1 pick is going to be a more valuable trade asset than anywhere else the Hawks could have picked. If Atlanta comes to the conclusion that they don't love any of these prospects, they could try to move the pick, though that is not on the mind of general manager Landry Fields at the moment:

"Not even our focus right now. Like... this is a point in time where the opportunity before us is an excellent one and it puts us in position. Positioning is key in this business and that is the position that we have right now, the No. 1 position. We will just keep doing what we do, gather as a group and we will figure this thing out in time."

.@ATLHawks GM Landry Fields on whether they plan to keep the No. 1 pick: "Not even our focus right now." pic.twitter.com/8xymqjnQ0H

— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) May 12, 2024

The Hawks have to be careful to not just move off the pick to move off of it. They should demand a lot in return for this pick and sit back and take the player of their choice if a quality offer is not made. As of today, there is not a star available that I would want to trade the No. 1 pick for. Sarr would be an incredible fit on the team and give the Hawks what they want on the defensive end. Atlanta should only trade the pick and not take Sarr if there is a star level player that fits their timeline and would help them win immediately. That player is not available right now.

This was a disappointing and frustrating season for the Hawks. They came in hoping that a full season under Quin Snyder would propel the team back into the top half of the standings and help them advance in the playoffs. The team battled injuries all season and never found consistency. They lost an ugly game to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA's Play-In Tournament and their season ended. Since then, it has been non-stop speculation about what will happen with Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and the rest of the roster.

Winning the lottery and getting the No. 1 pick does not guarantee anything for the Hawks but an opportunity to really help reshape this roster. They have to take this opportunity and make the most of it. Doing so could propel them to the places that they want to be. Mishandle it and it can set the franchise back for some time.

Atlanta had never had much lottery luck before yesterday. Now they need to make sure they can make the most of the opportunity in front of them.