What they might do:
At pick #3, the Atlanta Hawks might select Brandan Wright from North Carolina. At 6-10, Wright has very good height for the PF position. He has a tremendous wingspan that reaches almost 7-4. This combination of height and wingspan allows him to get any shot over anybody who has the misfortune of defending him. His ability to get any shot over any defender gives him a sense of confidence as he is able to convert baskets with an array of hook shots and short jumpers.
Al Horford from Florida may get voted in here, but I’m going to say no at this point after the Hawks drafted Shelden Williams last season. Both Horford and Williams share many similar attributes in that they’re both 6-9, they both have quite an ability to block shots, they both have range from 12-15 feet out, and they both have very good strength. It wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing to have two players of similar caliber on the same team; however, Wright would give the Hawks better versatility with a rotation of Wright, Williams, and Zaza Pachulia.
Wright certainly has some bulking up to do in the weight department, but fortunately he won’t be asked to carry much of the team’s inside presence on his shoulders with the likes of Pachulia, Williams, and Lorenzen Wright in the rotation. A year of proper strength training and fundamentals, and Wright has the potential to blossom into something special.
What they should do:
At pick #3, the Atlanta Hawks should select Mike Conley Jr. from Ohio St. The Hawks are in need of a floor leader and a point guard, and Conley Jr. fits both descriptions perfectly. Everyone who watched the NCAA Tournament saw what he was capable of doing. As the tournament got deeper, he only got better. He was unfazed by all the hoopla surrounding the Final Four and the National Championship. This is the type of player that the Hawks sorely need.
The Hawks have a lot of good young talent in Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, Sheldon Williams, Josh Childress, and Zaza Pachulia. They need someone who can get them the ball in the right position to score. Tyronn Lue hasn’t been able to do that. The Hawks hoped that Speedy Claxton would be able to do that, but that experiment didn’t work out. Conley Jr. is the guy who can get these players the ball.
Although Conley Jr. doesn’t have a consistent outside shot, that is something that can be developed. His leadership, fearlessness, excellent speed, and terrific vision are aspects that cannot be taught.
The Hawks passed up on Chris Paul and Deron Williams just a couple of years ago. That has turned out to be a pretty big mistake up to this point. The Hawks have a chance to redeem themselves in this draft. I hope for the sake of Hawks’ fans that they make the right decision.
