Day Before the Draft, Who Do the Hawks Pick?

[KB21]

It is two days before draft.  The Hawks will likely have one more player visit/workout prior to the draft, and that visit will include Justin Patton.  We know who has been brought in.  So, two days before the draft, who do you see the Hawks drafting?  This isn't so much about who you would draft.  It's who you think the Hawks will draft:

My thoughts:

19.  Jarrett Allen, C, 6'11", 234 lbs, Texas -- While I am neither against nor for this pick, this is who I believe the Hawks are targeting.  I believe there is a good chance that he will be available when they pick as well.  Bam Adebayo has supplanted him on the board, and this will work out as long as Harry Giles doesn't go in the lottery, which I don't think he does.  Allen is a project.  He's long and athletic.  He's athletic enough that he makes his movements look easy on the court.  He's a rim runner on offense at this point and has potential as a lob man on the pick and roll.  He's got potential as a rim protector, but I don't believe that ability is as elite as many other believe.  Based on everything I've read, he's a high character individual who would rather be taking computers apart than out partying with the wrong crowd.  This pick will come down to Jarrett Allen and Justin Patton.

31.  Isaiah Hartenstein, PF/C, 7'0", 250 lbs, Zilgiris (Latvia) (German Nationality) -- The Hawks are looking to rebuild their front court in this draft, and with the way Bud likes to do things, one big will be a lob man while the other big is a pick and pop many.  Hartenstein is the type of international big the Hawks tend to like.  He has shooting potential as a big, but he needs some work on his form and release of his jumper.  He is athletic and was very active against similar aged competition in the FIBA under 18 tournament and in the Nike Hoop Summit.  He and Allen both are projects that will not contribute at all as rookies.

[Flight]

I wouldn't be mad at those picks but it'd be hard to be excited since developing big men is not really our strength judging from past drafts.

[CP61]

I'm not completely on board for either, but I do think Allen is the most likely pick. I'm gonna guess

19. Justin Jackson

31. Kyle Kuzma 

but that's just wishful thinking on the first one. Probably Allen, Patton, or Bell.

[Guest]

I'm going on record saying that we trade up for Jackson.

If I'm wrong, for the 1st time, we stand pat and get Patton and Hart at 31 (since the TractorTrailer will be gone by then).

[Flight]

Any scenario with us getting Justin Jackson is a positive imo.

[CP61]

2 minutes ago, Flight said:

Any scenario with us getting Justin Jackson is a positive imo.

He just feels right.

[KB21]

34 minutes ago, Flight said:

I wouldn't be mad at those picks but it'd be hard to be excited since developing big men is not really our strength judging from past drafts.

Eh, what team is actually good at developing big men?  There haven't been many truly good big men enter the league in a while, which is one reason I'm not necessarily for taking one at 19. 

[KB21]

So, despite his earlier reports stating that the sense the players were getting from workouts was that the Hawks were focusing on big men, Chris Viv is now saying the Hawks are not focusing on a big man.  The GM speak is that they are focusing on the best player available.  Part of me believes this is being said in an attempt to throw the scent off one of the big men they are wanting.  For example, there was a report in a Detroit publication that Justin Patton was working out for the Hawks after his Detroit work out.  There has been no local report of this.  Are the Hawks trying to work him out in secret?  Also, the Hawks spent an entire day with Jarrett Allen.

The other part of me actually believes this and feels like they were so blown away by Justin Jackson's work out that they are going to see if they can push the big men up the board to get him to drop.  At least that's my hope anyway, because I prefer Jackson to the bigs. 

Needless to say, I reserve the right to change my picks between now and Thursday evening.  LOL!

[CP61]

7 minutes ago, KB21 said:

So, despite his earlier reports stating that the sense the players were getting from workouts was that the Hawks were focusing on big men, Chris Viv is now saying the Hawks are not focusing on a big man.  The GM speak is that they are focusing on the best player available.  Part of me believes this is being said in an attempt to throw the scent off one of the big men they are wanting.  For example, there was a report in a Detroit publication that Justin Patton was working out for the Hawks after his Detroit work out.  There has been no local report of this.  Are the Hawks trying to work him out in secret?  Also, the Hawks spent an entire day with Jarrett Allen.

The other part of me actually believes this and feels like they were so blown away by Justin Jackson's work out that they are going to see if they can push the big men up the board to get him to drop.  At least that's my hope anyway, because I prefer Jackson to the bigs. 

Needless to say, I reserve the right to change my picks between now and Thursday evening.  LOL!

Viv aslo picked Allen for the Hawks in a Boston globe mock draft, but specifically mentioned that JJ went 18th. I get the feeling he also suspects the Hawks want Jackson and a big is plan B. I think the only non-bigs that will be in play are Jackson and Evans based on workouts.

[Flight]

43 minutes ago, KB21 said:

Eh, what team is actually good at developing big men?  There haven't been many truly good big men enter the league in a while, which is one reason I'm not necessarily for taking one at 19. 

That's true, you pretty much know what you're getting from a big man potential wise from the jump. They can refine certain skills but I think most of them don't make huge improvements in comparison to what the guards can do over their careers. 

[Guest]

What young big men with decent skill have we had ON the roster for any period of time to develop?

Payne was riding the pine then traded. Bebe never played for us. Walter is still 2 years away, though he's developing. Moose is a weakling. Splits - injured.

[Blunt91]

32 minutes ago, KB21 said:

So, despite his earlier reports stating that the sense the players were getting from workouts was that the Hawks were focusing on big men, Chris Viv is now saying the Hawks are not focusing on a big man.  The GM speak is that they are focusing on the best player available.  Part of me believes this is being said in an attempt to throw the scent off one of the big men they are wanting.  For example, there was a report in a Detroit publication that Justin Patton was working out for the Hawks after his Detroit work out.  There has been no local report of this.  Are the Hawks trying to work him out in secret?  Also, the Hawks spent an entire day with Jarrett Allen.

The other part of me actually believes this and feels like they were so blown away by Justin Jackson's work out that they are going to see if they can push the big men up the board to get him to drop.  At least that's my hope anyway, because I prefer Jackson to the bigs. 

Needless to say, I reserve the right to change my picks between now and Thursday evening.  LOL!

Yeah I read the same thing the other day and have yet to see anything of Patton coming in to workout.  It stated he would a workout for the Hawks and the Heat.  I have not seen anything with him working out for them either.

[aali34]

Jarrett Allen at 19

Jonah Bolden at 31

 

 

[CP61]

3 hours ago, Blunt91 said:

Yeah I read the same thing the other day and have yet to see anything of Patton coming in to workout.  It stated he would a workout for the Hawks and the Heat.  I have not seen anything with him working out for them either.

Maybe they really do want to be secretive about that one because he's the apple of their eye.

[DBac]

*Hawks send #19 and 2018 Minnesota Pick to the Nuggets for #13*

1.13: Zach Collins C Gonzaga

I'm just going to imagine that the Nuggets are targeting OG Anunoby (who has slipped a lot in DX mocks), he plays a ton of defense and could be nice at PF next to Jokic in the future. The injury doesn't matter as much since they shouldn't be in a rush to add another young guy in the rotation. 

We've shown no interest in Zach Collins that I know of. This is purely me being hopeful lol. He shows some stretch potential, good motor, rim protecting potential, and is elite at finishing around the rim. Of all the centers in this class, I like his chance to pan out and I like his upside the most. And if he's attainable then I'm going for it.

2.31: Kyle Kuzma F Utah

I feel extremely confident that we're going for Kuzma or Bell at 31 based on our workouts. Bell can pass but not as well as Kuzma. Playmaking 4s are valuable right now, getting one to develop would be great. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

4 hours ago, KB21 said:

So, despite his earlier reports stating that the sense the players were getting from workouts was that the Hawks were focusing on big men, Chris Viv is now saying the Hawks are not focusing on a big man.  The GM speak is that they are focusing on the best player available.  Part of me believes this is being said in an attempt to throw the scent off one of the big men they are wanting.  For example, there was a report in a Detroit publication that Justin Patton was working out for the Hawks after his Detroit work out.  There has been no local report of this.  Are the Hawks trying to work him out in secret?  Also, the Hawks spent an entire day with Jarrett Allen.

The other part of me actually believes this and feels like they were so blown away by Justin Jackson's work out that they are going to see if they can push the big men up the board to get him to drop.  At least that's my hope anyway, because I prefer Jackson to the bigs. 

Needless to say, I reserve the right to change my picks between now and Thursday evening.  LOL!

Biggie is is then.

[CP61]

So no more 31. This changes a lot.

[sturt]

Okay, I now feel there's at least some direction... and I am awake after all.

Put me down for some TJ Leaf.

I see some "Blake Griffin Junior" to his game... in terms of mobility and hops, not in terms of bulk. He competes for balls underneath, but he's not the bully that Griffin is.

But damn, he seems a better passer and he's got one helluva 3 point shot. I'll take that trade-off, and cross my fingers that he adds some additional muscle in his thighs and abdomen over time.

 

[CP61]

46 minutes ago, sturt said:

Okay, I now feel there's at least some direction... and I am awake after all.

Put me down for some TJ Leaf.

I see some "Blake Griffin Junior" to his game... in terms of mobility and hops, not in terms of bulk. He competes for balls underneath, but he's not the bully that Griffin is.

But damn, he seems a better passer and he's got one helluva 3 point shot. I'll take that trade-off, and cross my fingers that he adds some additional muscle in his thighs and abdomen over time.

 

If his shot is as good as it seems in the small sample he shot in college, then he's at least Ilyasova. He's not my first choice, but I could convince myself to like him.

[CP61]

So 41 instead of 31. I'd be happier with Frank Mason there than at 31. Hopefully one of the few guys who I liked at 31 will be there. Mason III, White, Kuzma, Pasecniks (he won't), Bell (not a chance), or Hart