IT WAS another play-in exit for the Atlanta Hawks to wrap up the 2024/25 season after finishing as the eighth seed and being eliminated by the Miami Heat in the second round of the tournament.

Despite a breakout campaign from Aussie recruit Dyson Daniels, who took out the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award and an All-Rookie First Team selection to top draft pick Zaccharie Risacher, the Hawks simply could not make a push in the Eastern Conference.

It was the month of January that let the team down, going 4-11 from 15 games to slump down the standings and make it much harder to make the playoffs, and although they finished the season strong, it was too difficult to make it out of the play-in, with two losses from two games resulting in elimination.

Now, with a reasonably young core mixed with players either in the midst of or aging out of their prime, the Hawks will be looking to top up at the draft, and boasting two first round selections thanks to previous trades, have the opportunity to acquire some excellent young talent in a loaded draft class.

Atlanta Hawks

Draft Selections

13, 22

Contracted Players

Trae Young, Onyeka Okongwu, Terence Mann, Zaccharie Risacher, Georges Niang, Dyson Daniels (team option), Jalen Johnson, Kobe Bufkin (team option), Vit Krejci (non-guaranteed), Mouhamed Gueve (non-guaranteed), Dominick Barlow (team option)

With two first round draft picks in their arsenal, the Hawks have plenty of options ahead of the 2025 intake, which is set to take place late next month. With trades extremely common in the modern NBA, it would not be surprising to see Atlanta trade one or both for a more established talent and push further into the championship window.

However, if the Hawks look to retain the selections and head to the draft, there is plenty of available talent, and they could certainly accelerate the development of their young players by adding high-quality prospects.

With the 13th pick, it would make sense for the Hawks to bolster their frontcourt stocks given Young and Daniels are the two stars of the team as it stands. Atlanta was still one of the bottom 10 teams on the defensive end, so adding one of the premier stoppers in the draft class would be crucial.

Enter Colin Murray-Boyles, who is one of the best defensive forwards in the draft class. His physicality is immense while also possessing elite speed and lateral movement to make him a strong two-way performer. His offence won’t take too much developing either, using his strength to bully his way into the low block, with his inside scoring likely to pair well with the crafty nature of Young at point guard.

With current starting center Clint Capela a free agent and a strong chance to head to another team over the off-season, the Hawks could also do with bolstering their big man stocks, and while it depends on availability, there will be plenty of options on the board.

French prospect Joan Beringer certainly has the upside to justify selection with this pick, and playing against professional athletes, has led the Adriatic League in block percentage, which suggests his game may be further developed than first expected. With excellent physical tools and useful defensive versatility, Beringer is certainly looming as one of the key big men of the draft class.

Another option could be Asa Newell, who is a more readymade NBA prospect than Beringer, which may suit the Hawks if they need their draft pick to play significant minutes early on. An old-school big man who blocks shots and catches lobs, he would be an excellent fit next to the passing nous of Young, who will have no trouble finding Newell plenty of good shots.

When it comes to their second pick later in the first round, if the Hawks have already topped up their big man stocks, they could look to the best available player, which will depend on how other teams have selected. However, high-scorers such as guard/forward Will Riley and March Madness hero Walter Clayton Jr. could take some of the scoring load off Young if Jalen Johnson misses more time and Risacher’s offensive game needs a bit more time to develop.