Although the NBA Draft is hours away, the Atlanta Hawks are still on the clock.
Stop me if you’ve heard this about this draft before, but there’s not really a consensus No. 1 prospect out there like we’ve had in years past. No Victor Wembanyama or Zion Williamson stands alone as the unquestioned best player in this draft.
That makes things more interesting for Atlanta at the top of the draft. The Hawks have plenty of options in who they could take, but the pendulum hasn’t swung one way or another at this point.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five best options Atlanta has at the top of this draft class.
1. Alex Sarr
Sarr is probably the closest thing you’ll get to a lock in this draft class. He’s a multi-faceted talent as a frontcourt player who looks like he could transition to playing the wing in some jumbo-sized lineups with how well he handles the ball at center.
He’d regularly be a no-brainer for Atlanta here at No. 1, but Sarr has reportedly been avoiding working out for the Hawks, according to the latest from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
If I’m the Hawks, though, I call his bluff and take him anyway. He’s that talented.
2. Zaccharie Risacher
Zaccharie Risacher looks like he’ll be the pick for Atlanta in the most likely scenario.
Don’t get it twisted — he wouldn’t be a consolation prize. Risacher is a good player. At 6-foot-10, he boasts incredible shooting ability which is unique at his size. He’s also a skilled defender who should, at the very least, profile as a solid 3-and-D threat for Atlanta.
3. Donovan Clingan
Donovan Clingan would be an interesting move at No. 1 for the Hawks.
This is a team that is going to be looking for frontcourt depth with Atlanta reportedly focused on finding a new home for Clint Capela this offseason. When that happens, Clingan could easily slide into that starting center role and be a boon defensively for Atlanta.
Maybe he wouldn’t traditionally be a No. 1 overall pick in any other draft. Maybe Atlanta might do better to trade down if it’s going to take Clingan. But, regardless, he’d be a solid fit moving forward for Atlanta.
4. Reed Sheppard
Okay, this one might be a bit controversial. I get it — Atlanta taking another guard feels pretty ridiculous when you’ve already got Trae Young on your roster and you still have Dejounte Murray next to him.
But Atlanta needs all the help it can get defensively. Sheppard might legitimately be the best defender in this class.
He’s not built like it — being a 6-foot-1 guard with a 6-foot-3 wingspan is not what you’d typically think of as an elite defender. But every metric tracking Sheppard’s defense is through the roof. He’s also an elite shooter who scorches the net both off the bounce and in spot-up situations.
I’m not sure Sheppard would be anyone’s first pick, but he might be the right one.
5. Ron Holland
Ron Holland is being slept on in this draft. He started the season as the consensus No. 1 overall pick before everything fell apart with the NBA’s G-League Ignite program.
The numbers don’t look great — Holland was an awful shooter, shooting 23 percent from deep on the season. He also had more turnovers per game (3.5) than assists (2.8).
But Holland’s talent is there. He might have the best motor out of anyone in this draft class. He can handle the ball, has length and has showcased solid scoring ability on a team that didn’t work well together. He wouldn’t be Atlanta’s primary creator and could settle into a secondary playmaking role as a connector rather than a main star.
I think Atlanta would be a fantastic fit for Holland. The team desperately needs help on the wing.
