Connect with us

Features

The Atlanta Hawks’ Best Bet at #6

The 2020 NBA draft order was locked in on Thursday evening during the lottery, landing the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 6 pick for the draft coming up on October 16th. The Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk and their front office can now begin discussing and evaluating their choices, which gives them plenty of time to decide on the best addition to their team. There are numerous projected lottery picks already being discussed, but a lot can change before the upcoming draft in regards to available prospects. 

One promising top-10 prospect, Deni Avdija from Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League, has been linked to the Hawks in mock drafts. The 6’9 forward gives versatility with his abilities to hold up defensively while also having creative offensive skills to add to the team’s core. His rebounding and passing abilities as well as his aggression to make the finish at the basket is quite impressive. He has more to improve when it comes to his shooting skills, but with Atlanta already having star scorers Trae Young and John Collins, as well as other young promising scorers they are not in need of much help in the frontcourt. As long as Avdija can pose as a defensive threat and bring in some offensive creation he could bring great potential to the team overall. 

Onyeka Okongwu has been on the draft radar being that he was averaging 16.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and shooting 61.6% from the field at the University of Southern California. The power forward has the capabilities of playing multiple positions at his size and can bring the defensive coverage that the Hawks need. James Wiseman is a more desired choice, but being that he is predicted to be a top-3 pick during the draft it is unlikely that Atlanta has a chance at picking him. Okongwu had an impressive freshman year and has the capabilities to bring a great deal of defensive versatility, which makes him a desired prospect for the upcoming draft and gives potential as an addition to the Atlanta Hawks. 

One of the best choices overall for the Hawks to focus on would be small forward Isaac Okoro from the University of Auburn. Atlanta desperately needs a defensive stopper, which is exactly what Okoro brings to the table. He is the best on-ball defender and loves to defend and stop the opposing team’s top player, making him a perfect fit for the Hawks. Though Okoro is undervalued for his offensive skills, he has the athleticism and drive to shut down the opposing wings and undeniable defensive instincts. He has so much potential at such a young age to grow into a great NBA player. Okoro would be the absolute perfect addition to Atlanta and they would be crazy not to target him. 

The Hawks could use a player that can bring depth at the wing and a defensive stopper that is not afraid of the opposing team’s best player. Atlanta needs another defensive wing that can play besides Clint Capela while also protecting Young and Collins when scoring. Isaac Okoro is the obvious best option overall for the Hawks to target being that he is the best choice in their position and because he brings all of their needs to the table. 

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured Articles

Featured Writers

More in Features