With trade offers around, Atlanta stays with its draft plan, taking Houston guard.
The NBA draft has arrived.
It’s one of the most anticipated drafts in years, and the Hawks have two picks in the first round: Nos. 8 and 23. They’re in position to get at least one player for the rotation next season, and there’s a possibility they could trade up to get a more prominent player or trade down to get more assets.
In the flurry of trades in the second round, the Hawks managed to move up from No. 57 to No. 52, sending the Clippers the latter pick, along with cash considerations.
With the pick, the Hawks selected North Carolina center Henri Veesaar.
With the recent switch to the two rounds of the NBA draft being on separate nights, the second round has a little less steam behind it.
The Hawks have the No. 57 pick, so that means a long night of waiting for that selection -- that is, unless they decide to trade up and pick earlier. That is a typical pattern of the second round, with a slew of trades and plenty of picks exchanging hands, along with the confusion about the hats and which team picked whom in the aftermath.
The sportsbooks are already making some bold proclamations.
The way-too-early lines for NBA Rookie of the Year are out, and the Hawks’ Kingston Flemings is far down the list of favorites, at 50-to-1.
The surprising early leader is the Grizzlies’ Cameron Boozer, who is at 3-to-2; followed by No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa, who is 11-to-4; then Darius Acuff (Kings) and Darryn Peterson (Jazz), who are both 3-to-1.
There’s plenty of movement that will happen even before the season begins, but this is an interesting opening lens to view how the prospects are projected.
The Hawks picked forward Zuby Ejiofor from St. John’s with the No. 23 pick. He's 6-foot-7, 245 pounds and averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks last season.
Could the Hawks pick Houston big man Chris Cenac at No. 23? It would be a unique combo to have a pair of Houston players to go along with guard Kingston Flemings, whom they selected at No. 8.
There was talk that there would be more trades up to this point, but aside from the Heat trade, there weren't many other moves. It's a bit of a surprise — and the first round isn't over yet.
Of course, there could be some other deals in the making, but it's not looking likely.
Three players from Michigan's national championship team went in the lottery: Morez Johnson to the Mavs (9th), Yaxel Lendeborg to the Warriors (11th) and Aday Mara to the Thunder (12th).
Johnson is going to play with his former coach, and Lendeborg gets a good opportunity at Golden State, which is retooling its roster.
Mara's fit may be the most intriguing of the three, as he could be one who matches up against the Victor Wembanyama for years to come in their head-to-head contests to rule the Western Conference.
Morez Johnson Jr. going to the Mavs is something of a surprise. It's not just that the Michigan big man is being reunited with coach Dusty May, who takes the helm in Dallas.
Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg were bigger-impact players for the Wolverines, but Johnson was picked before them.
The Hawks selected Kingston Flemings with the No. 8 overall pick, which went along with many of the mock drafts ahead of the drafts.
It's not much of a surprise, and it's a big addition to the backcourt, which relied on Trae Young before the trade for CJ McCollum.
Our Ken Sugiura wrote that Flemings was the right pick, and it also came to fruition.
Keaton Wagler goes to the Clippers at No. 5, and the Nets selected Mikel Brown Jr. sixth. That leaves — likely — Darius Acuff at No. 7 to the Kings.
Then come the Hawks.
