The Hawks have two of the biggest dominos of the offseason that will soon fall this Summer.
Trae Young and Dejounte Murray are expected to be on the trade block with one of Atlanta’s All-Star point guards expected to be dealt. Depending on who it is will dictate the direction for the rest of the offseason, which brings us to the next domino.
For the first time in the franchise’s history, the Hawks won the lottery and own the top pick. The betting favorite is 7-foot Frenchman Alex Sarr, and most mock drafts reflect Vegas’ odds.
Sarr has a special combination of size and movement ability with obvious strengths on the defensive side of the court. Though he needs to develop offensively, the upside is there for him to become an All-Star talent. However, it’s his fellow countryman that ESPN has the Hawks taking in their latest mock draft — Zaccharie Risacher.
Jonathan Givony notes that the intel out of Atlanta continues to “indicate that their front office is at an early stage in its decision-making process and there likely won’t be clarity on which way the team is leaning with this pick until closer to draft night.”
Risacher’s season ended in the semifinals of the French League where the 19-year-old averaged over 15 points and 7 rebounds per game on shooting 67% from the field and 38% from deep. According to Givony, every team in the top five has “significant” interest in Risacher, noting that it would be a surprise if he didn’t go in the first two picks.
As currently constructed, I could make a case that Zaccharie Risacher fills a bigger need for the Hawks. He’s a long, versatile wing that projects to be able to defend multiple positions and get his own shot.
The Hawks, however, should be valuing the best overall prospect, carefully considering the ceiling of a prospect and the likelihood that he realizes his full potential.
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Photographer: Glenn Gervot/Icon Sportswire
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