The Media - Winners, Losers & Grades (Collecting Them In This Thread)

[AHF]

(Did a quick google search and put in here whatever popped up.  Please add more media grades in the subsequent posts.  Object of this thread is to memorialize what people said at the time of the draft in the media - not to give our own grades here.)

Draft & Trade Winners and Losers / Draft Grades

 

Trade Grades & General Winners / Losers of Draft

 

ESPN

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23864234/2018-nba-draft-six-big-first-round-winners

Dallas Mavericks - Traded the draft rights to guard Trae Young and a protected 2019 first-round pick for the draft rights to guard Luka Doncic.

Mike Schmitz: The Mavericks are the clear winner of the night, wheeling and dealing for arguably the top prospect in the draft in Doncic.

As we outlined earlier in the year, Doncic is a perfect fit for Rick Carlisle's flow offense, a system that emphasizes multiple ball handlers. Dennis Smith Jr.'s ability to break down defenses should help counterbalance Doncic's lack of clear blow-by ability with the ball. Doncic brings a combination of youth and productivity, and his winning tenure at Real Madrid has shown he's a perfect fit for the pass-dribble-shoot basketball in the modern NBA.

Having veterans such as Dirk Nowitzki, J.J. Barea and Wesley Matthews should go a long way to usher in Doncic as the next international star in Dallas.

Alex Lewis – Yahoo
https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-draft-2018-winners-losers-dallas-trades-doncic-porter-jr-falls-denver-033631093.html
Winner: Dallas and Atlanta
Luka Doncic won the EuroLeague championship and the EuroLeague MVP playing for Real Madrid in Spain. He was the youngest European player to accomplish both, and he was the most experienced player in the draft.
The Dallas Mavericks wanted Doncic so badly that they traded the No. 5 pick and a future protected first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for its No. 3 pick. Atlanta was enamored with former Oklahoma guard Trae Young, so the trade made sense for both parties.
Each franchise picked up its preferred player through the deal. They both generated the draft buzz that was highly anticipated.

 

Kevin Pelton – ESPN 
http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/23867189/luka-doncic-trae-young-trade-grades-dallas-mavericks-atlanta-hawks-deal-nba
The deal
Mavericks get: Luka Doncic (No. 3 pick)
Hawks get: Trae Young (No. 5 pick), 2019 first-round pick (protected)
________________________________________
Dallas Mavericks: A
 
Ordinarily, I'm not a believer in trading up in the draft. When I put together my version of a pick value chart for the NBA draft similar to the ones that are commonplace in football, I found that, when the higher salary was factored in, teams overrated higher picks as compared to lower picks.
Additionally, the results of trading up in the draft have typically not been great. For every situation like Utah last year, which moved up to No. 13 to take Rookie of the Year contender Donovan Mitchell, there are multiple deals like the Chicago Bulls giving up the picks that became Gary Harris and Jusuf Nurkic(plus a future second-round pick and taking back the bad contract of Anthony Randolph) in order to trade up for Doug McDermott.
Every rule has its exception, though, and this trade appears to be one of them. In moving from the fifth pick to the third pick, the Mavericks assured themselves landing my top prospect in this year's draft, Luka Doncic. Doncic doesn't just have the best statistical projection by my model in 2018 -- he has the best ever (ever in this case being back to 2003, surpassing Anthony Davis, though LeBron James is not included because he came to the NBA out of high school).
If we go by Doncic's consensus projection, taking into account his slide to No. 3 in the draft, he's projected to provide $27 million more value over the life of his four-year rookie contract than Young. The difference in salary jumping up from fifth to third takes out about $5 million of that, leaving Doncic at No. 3 as $22 million more valuable than Young at No. 5. Because that gap is so enormous, it will be impossible for Dallas to lose this trade on paper no matter where the future pick the Mavericks will send to Atlanta falls.
The value of first-round picks will diminish going forward as the rookie scale for first-round picks continues to increase as part of the current NBA collective bargaining agreement, jumping by 15 percent next season along with a bump for the growth in the salary cap. As a result, I project only the No. 1 pick in 2019 as more valuable ($26 million net value) than the difference between Doncic and Young. And if the Mavericks somehow win the lottery next year, they'll keep their pick, which is protected in the top five, according to a Yahoo report.
Now, so far this analysis has assumed that Doncic is indeed the generational prospect my projections suggest. Clearly, at least the Phoenix Suns (who took Deandre Ayton at No. 1), Sacramento Kings (who took Marvin Bagley III at No. 2) and Hawks disagree. It remains to be seen whether his relatively average athleticism will prevent Doncic from becoming the same kind of contributor in the NBA he was in Europe as a teenager.
Doncic's fit in Dallas will be interesting. The Mavericks took their point guard of the future, Dennis Smith Jr., in the lottery a year ago. While Smith's rookie season was uneven, at age 20 he's on track to become a capable NBA starter. That will push Doncic to an off-ball role as secondary ballhandler.
Doncic shot an effective 47.4 percent on catch-and-shoot opportunities from the shorter FIBA 3-point line this season -- which isn't great -- according to Synergy Sports tracking. Smith actually showed somewhat more potential as a floor spacer, making 37.2 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s, per NBA Advanced Stats. (Smith's overall 3-point percentage was pulled down by attempting 2.7 pull-up 3s per game and making them at just a 27.4 percent clip.)
Suddenly, finding a third perimeter player to fit with Doncic and Smith becomes a crucial task for Dallas. That player needs to be capable of defending the opponent's best wing scorer, no matter his size -- a task Doncic should not have to take on -- and spacing the floor for Doncic and Smith with 3-point shooting. For now, Wesley Matthews plays that role, but at age 31 (32 in October) and heading into the final season of his contract, Matthews is unlikely to be part of the Mavericks' mix long term.
If Dallas can find the right fit alongside Doncic and Smith, coach Rick Carlisle should enjoy taking advantage of having two good pick-and-roll options. Much like how former Carlisle assistant Terry Stotts uses Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum with the Portland Trail Blazers, Carlisle can design sets that get Doncic and Smith good opportunities to run pick-and-roll when the ball is swung to them on the weak side of the court after help defenders are distracted by the threat the other player presents.
The other step in this process will be finding Doncic and Smith a lob threat to serve as roll man from the center position. Moving up from No. 5 to No. 3 cuts slightly into the Mavericks' cap space, leaving them with approximately $17 million to spend if they pick up Dirk Nowitzki's team option and retain the rights to free agents Seth Curry, Yogi Ferrell and Salah Mejri.
Shedding some of those free agents could put Dallas in position to make a max offer to Houston Rockets restricted free agent Clint Capela, who would be an ideal fit with Doncic and Smith. Alternatively, the Mavericks could make a run at DeMarcus Cousins if the New Orleans Pelicans are unwilling to offer anywhere close to his $30.3 million max, though Cousins wouldn't fit as ideally with Doncic and Smith in terms of game or age, not to mention his health as he returns from an Achilles tear.
Make no mistake, Dallas is taking a risk here. If Doncic proves just a decent NBA player, and not a star, giving up a potential lottery pick to move up two spots will look like a mistake in hindsight. Still, I'm enough of a believer in Doncic's potential to view this trade as well worth the risk.
________________________________________
Atlanta Hawks: D
 
There's certainly a way to justify this trade from the Hawks' perspective. If they weren't sold on Doncic's potential, picking up a future first-round pick and getting the player they really wanted is a much better move than simply picking Young at No. 3.
After all, if we look at the average values of the two picks, this is surely a huge win for Atlanta. The typical difference between the value provided by the No. 3 pick and the No. 5 pick over their first two contracts is less than $3 million, and even with the rookie scale increasing next season, all 30 first-round picks are worth more than that. So from that standpoint, the Hawks can't lose!
Of course, for all the reasons I just laid out, Doncic isn't a typical No. 3 pick, so Atlanta had to aim higher than just winning the trade by a value chart that is incapable of considering such distinctions (or accounting for a 2019 draft that appears relatively weak at this point). I would have preferred simply taking Doncic to making this deal.
None of this pessimism should be construed as a knock on Young, who landed at No. 3 in my draft projections behind Doncic and Ayton. Aside from the inevitable comparisons to Doncic because of this trade, going to the Hawks looks like an ideal scenario for Young, assuming they trade starting point guard Dennis Schröder sooner rather than later.
Atlanta's rebuild, still in the early stages, has produced some solid contributors (John Collins and Taurean Prince foremost among them) but has lacked a star. Young can play in an offense built around his ability to pull up for 3s and distribute out of the pick-and-roll, with Collins as a terrific roll man. And with the Hawks still very much thinking long term, there's little pressure on him to produce right away.
Having added this draft pick from Dallas to two extra ones in this year's first round and potentially another in 2019 or 2020 from the Cleveland Cavaliers(top-10 protected both years), Atlanta should be able to add plenty of young talent to supplement the pieces already in place.

SI
Winners: Hawks fans
The Hawks had no identity last season other than that they were terrible, and former coach Mike Budenholzer smartly flew the coop for Milwaukee this summer. When former Warriors executive Travis Schlenk took over last summer, his first step was a full-scale teardown. Thursday marked the first major step in his rebuild, as he landed Oklahoma guard Trae Young, Maryland guard Kevin Huerter and a protected 2019 first-round pick in a trade with the Mavericks.
Schlenk might not be able to replicate the Splash Brothers, but he landed two of this year’s top shooting prospects in Young and Huerter. Although size and defensive ability are major questions that will dog Young until he establishes himself as an NBA player, he’s an exciting, fearless playmaker with a magnetic and crowd-pleasing style. Atlanta’s roster is so young and thin that losing in volume is inevitable next season, but Young should make a nice pick-and-roll pairing with John Collins, while the extra pick from Dallas should help Schlenk add to his young core. Hawks fans are wins both now and later: They can enjoy adopting Young as the new face of their franchise comfortable in the knowledge that more help is on the way.
 

 

 

Draft Grades

Sporting News
3. Hawks— Trae Young, PG
TRADE: This is the return selection for Atlanta as part of their trade down from No. 3.
Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk is familiar with the value that an elite jump shooter can bring at the point guard spot from his time with the Warriors. Young is no Stephen Curry — that’s an unfair comparison both for the prospect and the future Hall of Famer — but he has the potential to be a dangerous pull-up threat with deep 3-point range and the court vision to punish rotating defenders.
Young faces significant defensive concerns, but his potential to make a team’s offense better is too much to pass up given the importance of primary initiators in the modern game.
GRADE: A

SI
5. ATLANTA HAWKS (VIA DALLAS): TRAE YOUNG, OKLAHOMA 
The Mavericks are making this pick for the Hawks after trading down from No. 3. There was a case to be made for Atlanta going with Luka Doncic going forward, but ultimately they placed greater value on adding a future asset and landing Young, a player they have come to value heavily throughout the process, as I understand it. They view Young as the player that can lead their rebuild, and now have the advantage of being able to build around him each step of the way. The next step for the Hawks will be moving Dennis Schröder, who is unsettled, but locked into a burdensome contract that has made him difficult to deal. Atlanta may come to regret not drafting Doncic or Jackson, but you have to respect the guts it takes to roll with Young, who was the most exciting player in college basketball last season. Grade: B+
19. ATLANTA HAWKS (VIA TIMBERWOLVES): KEVIN HUERTER
This is about where we valued Huerter, and his shooting ability will pair with new teammate Trae Young to give the Hawks an extremely potent pair of three-point threats. My concern with this fit comes on the defensive side, as Huerter is not a terrific option at this stage, and Atlanta will need to build out the roster to compensate for Young’s shortcomings on that end of the floor. Time and how these players develop will determine how we view this pick, perhaps more than some of the others in this part of the draft. Grade: B
30. ATLANTA HAWKS (VIA ROCKETS): OMARI SPELLMAN, VILLANOVA
This is a surprise pick for the Hawks, but there was some chatter Spellman might sneak into the first round and Atlanta ultimately got their guy here. He’s a perfectly reasonable talent and smart, ball-moving rebounder who fits nicely with the Hawks’ other picks in Trae Young and Kevin Huerter. It’s an intriguing choice and may prove extremely prudent down the road given his high IQ game and versatile skill set. Grade: B+
 

NJ.com
Atlanta Hawks
Picks: Trae Young (No. 5), Kevin Huerter (No. 19), Omari Spellman (No. 30)
Thoughts: Bad night from the Hawks, and it mostly starts at the top. The Hawks had a potential franchise-changing talent available to them at No. 3 in Luka Doncic and instead opted to trade him and move back for an undersized — albeit exciting and offensively talented — point guard lacking defensive skills. They might regret that in a few years. Bonus points for snagging Huerter and Spellman, but choosing Young over Doncic was the wrong decision. 
Grade: C

 

CBS
3     Hawks      
TRADE: Atlanta Hawks made this pick after sending the No. 3 pick to the Mavericks for No. 5 and a 2019 protected first-rounder
PG Trae Young, Oklahoma freshman
This Hawks grade is for a player with a huge upside -- arguably the best shooter and passer in this class -- but also for a second pick with huge upside. Young gives Atlanta a potential star, but so does a pick that is protected only Nos. 1-5 in next year's draft. That could be a top-10 pick easily and helps Atlanta's rebuild under former Warriorsexecutive Travis Schlenk. Grade: A

SBNation
5. Atlanta Hawks - Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma
Grade: B
Trae Young is the best shooter in the draft, offering a unique ability to hit pull-up jumpers with deep range. He might be the best passer in the draft, too. The only problem is that he’s not Luka Doncic, and that’s who Atlanta gave up to move back two spots to draft him.
The draft pick Atlanta gets back from Dallas is top-five protected next year, which certainly could be valuable. Still, I would have taken Doncic.
19. Atlanta Hawks - Kevin Huerter, SG, Maryland
Grade: B
One of the best shooters in this draft at 6’8. Huerter also proved he can make quick, heady decisions as a passer. Atlanta has all of the shooters after pairing him with Trae Young in this draft.
Still should have taken Doncic.
30. Atlanta Hawks - Omari Spellman, C, Villanova
Grade: B-
The Hawks get all of the shooters. You can argue they got the best shooter in the draft at point guard (Trae Young), shooting guard (Kevin Huerter) and maybe even center now with Spellman. His quickness will be a question mark, but he’s strong, long and has an impressive face-up offensive game.

MSN
Atlanta Hawks: B
There were widespread fears that guard Trae Young is too thin to handle the rigors of the NBA. In fact, one scouting report indicated that Young is so skinny his pajamas only have one stripe. Another noted that, in high school, he held a summer job as the minute hand on the town clock. (OK, you get the idea.)
But the Hawks need a centerpiece, and they felt Young is the kind of guy you can build an offense around. Atlanta also added shooter Kevin Huerter at No. 19 and stretch-4 Omari Spellman, who was tabbed with 13.75 percent body fat at the combine in Chicago, most of any player who remained in the draft. At worst, he and Young will make a great Laurel and Hardy at the Hawks' Halloween party.
Bleacher Report
Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young (5th), Kevin Huerter (19th), Omari Spellman (30th)
The Atlanta Hawks were the team that sent to Doncic to the Mavs, in exchange for Dallas' No. 5 pick in this year's draft and a 2019 first-rounder that will be top-five protected. So, if the Mavericks are in the top five again next season, they get to keep the pick.
That certainly sounds like a steal for Dallas. And maybe it will prove to be just that. But given the return, Atlanta must have been high on Trae Young. And who could blame them?
Young averaged an absurd 27.4 points and 8.7 assists this season. Among freshmen, his Offensive Box Plus-Minus of 11.2 is the highest (by a long shot) in Sports Reference's database, which dates back to 2010. It ranks third overall, regardless of class.
Young has a chance to be a superstar, but the selection doesn't come without risks. His size and lack of elite explosiveness lead to questions about his defense. If he can manage to even be average on that end, he has a chance to be special.
After Young, the Hawks went after more shooting. Kevin Huerter is a 6'7" wing who moves off the ball like Klay Thompson and shot 41.7 percent from three this year. Omari Spellman is another 40-plus-percent shooter who has stretch 5 potential.
Yes, it looks like the Hawks lost the biggest trade of the night. But they recovered about as well as one could expect.
Grade: B-

NBADraft.net

5. Trae Young | 6-2 | 180 | PG | Oklahoma | 19
Young is this draft's Rorschach test. Everyone seems to see what they want to see when evaluating him. Young's devotees see the next Steph Curry - a fearless scorer with unlimited range who can transform the geometry of the floor. Young's detractors see the next Trey Burke - a college star who had free reign on offense, but struggled mightily with increased defensive pressure. The Hawks obviously believe they're getting the next Curry, as they passed on the opportunity to add Doncic to their roster. Young was indisputably college basketball's most thrilling individual performer, but it's unlikely a team is going to trust him with a Westbrookian usage rate. Young will either start All-Star games alongside the Currys and the Lillards of the NBA world, or find a role as a Jamal Crawford-esque sparkplug. Either way, it will be so much fun watching Young pull up from 32 feet.

Fansided
Atlanta Hawks
There’s absolutely no question that the Atlanta Hawks were looking for shooting with three picks in the first round of the NBA Draft, landing Trae Young and Kevin Huerter as guards and then Omari Spellman with the 30th-overall pick. What’s more, they landed a future first-round pick by trading back and grabbing Young. However, hand-waving a player like Luka Doncic for a huge gamble on Young is the type of risk that can cost even fresh general managers their jobs.
Grade: B-

 

[Buzzard]

In a nutshell, If Doncic is the best player ever drafted since 2003, better than AD even, the Mavericks win the trade in a landslide. Did ESPN's Kevin Pelton really need to write a thesis statement to say that?

[REHawksFan]

The media is really no different than the fans on here.  Those that think Luka is / was the best player of the draft class HATE the trade for the Hawks and those that didn't think Luka was clearly better than Trae or have questions about him don't hate the trade.  All those grades are based on the writer's preconceived opinion Luka and Trae.  

Personally, I preferred Luka over Trae but it was just that - a matter of preference.  I haven't made up my mind that either will be clearly better than the other so I willing to roll with the franchise and take the extra pick next year.  If nothing else, Trae should bring some excitement to an otherwise underwhelming team situation.  

[Buzzard]

7 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

The media is really no different than the fans on here.  Those that think Luka is / was the best player of the draft class HATE the trade for the Hawks and those that didn't think Luka was clearly better than Trae or have questions about him don't hate the trade.  All those grades are based on the writer's preconceived opinion Luka and Trae.  

Personally, I preferred Luka over Trae but it was just that - a matter of preference.  I haven't made up my mind that either will be clearly better than the other so I willing to roll with the franchise and take the extra pick next year.  If nothing else, Trae should bring some excitement to an otherwise underwhelming team situation.  

Keep that quiet. The true believers need to believe all the haters masquerading as journalist are 110% correct.

Even though neither player has set foot on a NBA Court.

LMAO

[HawkItus]

The  Ringer.com

5. Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma (trade from Dallas Mavericks)

 

Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images

The Hawks clearly valued Young more than almost any other team. They picked up an extra draft pick to move down two spots and get their guy, in a deal similar to the one the Celtics made last season for Jayson Tatum. Hawks GM Travis Schlenk came to Atlanta from Golden State, and he’s clearly hoping that Young can be his version of Steph Curry. This is now Young’s team. Dennis Schröder can start packing his bags.

Grade: B

[NBASupes]

2 hours ago, REHawksFan said:

The media is really no different than the fans on here.  Those that think Luka is / was the best player of the draft class HATE the trade for the Hawks and those that didn't think Luka was clearly better than Trae or have questions about him don't hate the trade.  All those grades are based on the writer's preconceived opinion Luka and Trae.  

Personally, I preferred Luka over Trae but it was just that - a matter of preference.  I haven't made up my mind that either will be clearly better than the other so I willing to roll with the franchise and take the extra pick next year.  If nothing else, Trae should bring some excitement to an otherwise underwhelming team situation.  

Agree and I am out of likes 

[Vol4ever]

Just like with Pau Gasol the Hawks will rule the day they traded Luka and you can bookmark this.  

Just now, Vol4ever said:

Just like with Pau Gasol the Hawks will rule the day they traded Luka and you can bookmark this.  

Rue 

[ATLBob]

6 hours ago, REHawksFan said:

The media is really no different than the fans on here.  Those that think Luka is / was the best player of the draft class HATE the trade for the Hawks and those that didn't think Luka was clearly better than Trae or have questions about him don't hate the trade.  All those grades are based on the writer's preconceived opinion Luka and Trae.  

Personally, I preferred Luka over Trae but it was just that - a matter of preference.  I haven't made up my mind that either will be clearly better than the other so I willing to roll with the franchise and take the extra pick next year.  If nothing else, Trae should bring some excitement to an otherwise underwhelming team situation.  

Excellent post 

[GameTime]

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/06/22/nba-draft-2018-winners-losers-deandre-ayton-michael-porter-trae-young-kawhi-leonard?utm_medium=social&xid=socialflow_twitter_si&utm_campaign=thecrossover&utm_source=twitter.com

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WINNERS: HAWKS FANS
The Hawks had no identity last season other than that they were terrible, and former coach Mike Budenholzer smartly flew the coop for Milwaukee this summer. When former Warriors executive Travis Schlenk took over last summer, his first step was a full-scale teardown. Thursday marked the first major step in his rebuild, as he landed Oklahoma guard Trae Young, Maryland guard Kevin Huerter and a protected 2019 first-round pick in a trade with the Mavericks.

Schlenk might not be able to replicate the Splash Brothers, but he landed two of this year’s top shooting prospects in Young and Huerter. Although size and defensive ability are major questions that will dog Young until he establishes himself as an NBA player, he’s an exciting, fearless playmaker with a magnetic and crowd-pleasing style. Atlanta’s roster is so young and thin that losing in volume is inevitable next season, but Young should make a nice pick-and-roll pairing with John Collins, while the extra pick from Dallas should help Schlenk add to his young core. Hawks fans are wins both now and later: They can enjoy adopting Young as the new face of their franchise comfortable in the knowledge that more help is on the way.

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/6/22/17494750/suns-hawks-sixers-2018-nba-draft

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Atlanta Hawks
After spending 12 seasons with the Warriors, Hawks GM Travis Schlenk is clearly replicating the Golden State mold with his choices in the 2018 draft. Judging from the first-rounders they had by the end of the night, the Hawks seem to be producing a B-movie version of the Warriors’ dynasty with Oklahoma guard Trae Young starring as Steph Curry, Maryland wing Kevin Huerter playing the role of Klay Thompson, and Villanova big Omari Spellman channeling Draymond Green. “When you look at the league today, you need guys who can shoot, dribble, and pass. All three of these guys can,” Schlenk said at the end of the night. “We’re looking for multidimensional players that can play the way we want to play: up and down, an exciting brand of basketball.”

But how close can a knockoff come to the genuine item? Curry and Thompson are all-time-great shooters, while Young and Huerter are just great. Huerter is a better ball handler and passer than Thompson was at the same stage of their careers, however. Thompson isn’t used as an initiator in Golden State’s offense, but Huerter certainly will be for new Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce. There will be less pressure on Young to do everything on the ball like he had to do with the Sooners, which should lead him to running around more screens and blasting away with 3s from deep.

A Hall of Fame case can be made for Green because of his defense, and Spellman certainly won’t reach that level. But Spellman is a smart defender who plays with energy and enthusiasm. With a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he’s a capable shot blocker and a competitive rebounder who does all the little things on offense as a passer, screener, and floor spacer. Spellman lost almost 50 pounds during his redshirt season at Villanova, which improved his mobility defending the perimeter, but he was still sluggish moving his feet on switches against guards. Even if he isn’t an anchor like Green, he’s at least a far superior shooter. Spellman shot 43.3 percent on nearly four attempts per game at Villanova. Schlenk is credited for Golden State’s selection of Green. It’s unlikely Spellman will be a grand slam like Green, but even a single or double would suffice.

The best young player on the Hawks’ roster is forward Taurean Prince, who slides in as their Harrison Barnes: a hard-nosed defender with untapped offensive potential. The Hawks have amassed an intriguing blend of talent, and they’re not done building. There were trade talks heading into the draft involving guards Dennis Schröder and Kent Bazemore, per league sources. Schröder was on the block all season, as we reported in January, while the team at least discussed Bazemore with Dallas and Orlando in possible trade-downs. Not a single player was traded on draft night, which is weird.

The Hawks also selected Kansas guard Devonte’ Graham at no. 34, but shipped him to the Hornets for two future seconds, in 2019 and 2023. The Magic had promised Graham with the no. 35 pick, per a source, so Charlotte had to find a way to jump ahead, which allowed the Hawks to continue stockpiling future assets from a Hornets team that won’t be good for years. That’s the logic Schlenk used in the biggest trade of the night: trading the no. 3 pick (Slovenian point forward Luka Doncic) to the Dallas Mavericks for no. 5 (Young) and a top-five-protected 2019 first-rounder that will become fully unprotected in 2023. However, based on Dallas’s desire to pursue free agents like DeMarcus Cousins or Clint Capela this summer, per sources, there’s a chance that protected pick conveys next year. The Hawks will likely have three firsts and three seconds in the 2019 draft, which will give them immense flexibility.

But trading Doncic was a monumental risk for Schlenk. Doncic also fits the Warriors mold: He’s a transcendent passer who can comfortably play with and without the ball, and at only 19, has excelled at the highest possible level a non-NBA player can. My boss Bill Simmons always asks this question about draft prospects: “Could he play in the NBA Finals?” Doncic could. If there’s such a thing as an it factor, Doncic has it. It takes much more bargaining to get there with Young. The Oklahoma star is tiny (178 pounds, with a 6-foot-3 wingspan and a skinny frame) and gets bulldozed on defense. As covered last week: There’s a lot of pressure on Young’s offense; he’ll have to become a truly great offensive player — think Damian Lillard–level — to overcome his defensive limitations.

Kings fans loudly clamored to select Doncic, but so too did Hawks fans. They weren’t happy when rumors broke that Atlanta might trade down from no. 3 to select Young, and they were furious last night when it became a reality. But I appreciate Schlenk’s spunk in doing what he felt was right instead of succumbing to the critique of fans and pundits. I wouldn’t have done the Doncic-for-Young trade, but in broad strokes, it makes sense: Young is a far better shooter than Doncic and has underrated playmaking skills that should blossom in the NBA’s open space. And while I’m not quite as high on Huerter or Spellman as Schlenk is, they’re both very good. The Hawks came away with three talented prospects who fit the type of team they want to build, with some extra assets to help them in the future, and through it all they showed they won’t let public opinion dictate their choices.

 

[GameTime]

https://www.thestepien.com/2018/06/22/team-team-draft-reactions/

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Atlanta Hawks – Traded #3 for #5 Trae Young and future 1-5 protected Dallas first, drafted Kevin Huerter #19, drafted Omari Spellman #30.
A weird draft for me to evaluate. In a vacuum, I love the Trae pick and am a fan of the Huerter selection. Spellman is also a fine selection. Getting a future 1st in a trade from 3-to-5 is generally a good value proposition. But passing on a chance at taking Luka is hard to stomach. Luka is in a tier of his own in this draft, and if Trae doesn’t hit big (which he very well could) this move could come back to bite them.

Atlanta fans should be excited about the talent they acquired. The parallels between Trae/Huerter and Steph/Klay are fun. Trae will be given the freedom to do his thing, but don’t give up on him if he struggles out of the gate. He is the type of player who might take some time to adjust to the NBA. I’m not particularly higher or lower on Trae or Huerter than I was pre-draft. Trae and John Collins could be a fun pick-and-roll duo. The trade is a potentially disastrous move, but Atlanta did about as good a job of mitigating passing on Doncic as possible.

 

[KB21]

From NBADraft.net

Quote

These three picks represent a focus on shooting ability, which makes sense considering where their GM earned his stripes prior to joining ATL: Golden State. Not many people seem to be talking about the fact that the Hawks acquired a (top five protected) 2019 first round pick from a bad basketball team while still getting their guy. The reason being that Doncic appears to be a more sure-fire pick than Trae Young. The Hawks will inevitably ship Dennis Schröder away this summer after his misdemeanor battery charge so a new point guard was critical in their rebuild. Young was magnificent at the college level though the Oklahoma Sooners' reliance on him to create did not net them wins throughout the season. Additionally, Huerter is a wing with a great shooting stroke and Spellman is a strong, physical big who can also stretch the floor out to the three-point line, so both are great additions for the modern NBA, and show a clear vision of the type of style they envision. If Young can become an above-average point guard and the Mavericks 2019 pick can turn into another solid player, then there is certainly a route in which this is a great move by the Hawks but Doncic could very well be the best player in this loaded draft class. Will Trae Young's quickness and shooting ability ultimately make him better than Doncic? Did the Hawks land a future Curry/Thompson like backcourt with Trae and Huerter? The general consensus is no, but credit young GM Travis Schlenk for making a bold move trading 3 and at the least adding further value with Dallas' 2019 first rounder.

Grade was a B+

[Thomas]

Believe Schlenk's favorite word is indeed "assets" as in stocking draft picks. Filling seats with a passing wizard with extreme range feels like a good plan to me just need to not take the Stephen A. advise to heart and attach everything that happens on the floor in Atlanta to Doncic's career. Guess that will be a challenge for many. Was shaky about it at first but now I'm quite good with it.

[mcleitsy]

58 minutes ago, Thomas said:

Believe Schlenk's favorite word is indeed "assets" as in stocking draft picks. Filling seats with a passing wizard with extreme range feels like a good plan to me just need to not take the Stephen A. advise to heart and attach everything that happens on the floor in Atlanta to Doncic's career. Guess that will be a challenge for many. Was shaky about it at first but now I'm quite good with it.

As someone who attends at least 35 or so games a year, I was pretty distraught at first when we passed on Doncic. I think he would've been a great draw to the arena, especially with all the media hype he was getting up to the draft. I think if Trae comes out and gets big minutes early on, can land a couple of highlights on SC, etc, he will bring the fans out. I'm over us passing on Doncic at this point, too. Mostly because the two teams who were probably the most incentivized/familiar with Doncic passed as well....that definitely makes me feel better. 

 

 

[macdaddy]

Just not following the ones that think there is overwhelming evidence in Luka's favor.   Even by their own arguments it's like:  Trae maybe the better shooter and passer but  Luka's a lot bigger.  Ok?

[KB21]

9 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Just not following the ones that think there is overwhelming evidence in Luka's favor.   Even by their own arguments it's like:  Trae maybe the better shooter and passer but  Luka's a lot bigger.  Ok?

The fact that Luka is 6'8" does give him a significant advantage.  Trae struggled not only getting his shot off but also finding open teammates when teams pressed him hard and started trapping him in the back court.  You do that with Luka, and his 6'8" frame allows him to throw the ball over that pressure defense.  

[Buzzard]

5 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Just not following the ones that think there is overwhelming evidence in Luka's favor.   Even by their own arguments it's like:  Trae maybe the better shooter and passer but  Luka's a lot bigger.  Ok?

Exactly. The Pundits have learned their lessons the hard way. They will no longer come out and call most players great nor will they call him a bust. The high drama filled years of Chad Ford and the early years of NFL Draft guru, Mel Kiper Jr. , has taught them they really do not know squat.

So it always best to er on the side of caution when ever possible. Most gave the teams in the high lottery B-, B or B+, just so if the final grade is a A, A+ or C, C+, they can say they were not far off. Very few these days will come out and call a kid a bust or a sure bet all star.

Which makes Kevin Pelton and his D Grade such a large outlier. I have never heard of him, so maybe he needs to be dramatic in order to make a name for himself.

[AHF]

Drafts have always been graded on a curve that looks something like this:

Total Class: 30

A's:  7

B's: 14

C's: 7

D&F's: 2

[sturt]

On 6/28/2018 at 9:22 AM, KB21 said:

The fact that Luka is 6'8" does give him a significant advantage.  Trae struggled not only getting his shot off but also finding open teammates when teams pressed him hard and started trapping him in the back court.  You do that with Luka, and his 6'8" frame allows him to throw the ball over that pressure defense.  

The rest of that story, though, is that teams realized there was no real threat otherwise on the OKLA roster... will be interesting to see what he can achieve when there are, indeed, other viable threats on the court along side Trae.

Everyone wants to focus on that offensive production end, but the better question might be which one can actually rise above his entry-level reputation on the defensive end.

This is where Pierce is going to have to earn his keep if he's a long-termer.... to what degree can all these guys his boss has selected bringing outstanding offensive credentials actually develop into legitimate defensive talents.

To the wider point of the thread... as I read the popular media reviews, I'm not so much struck that they're necessarily over-valuing Doncic, nor that they're under-valuing Young... but that relatively few seem to think aloud soberly about the value of the mostly-unprotected 1st we picked up.

[EazyRoc]

On 6/28/2018 at 10:22 AM, KB21 said:

The fact that Luka is 6'8" does give him a significant advantage.  Trae struggled not only getting his shot off but also finding open teammates when teams pressed him hard and started trapping him in the back court.  You do that with Luka, and his 6'8" frame allows him to throw the ball over that pressure defense.  

You won’t be able to trap Young in the NBA. You definitely won’t be able to do it against a team that has 4 other potential 40% 3pt shooters. 

[Diesel]

On 6/22/2018 at 3:47 PM, REHawksFan said:

The media is really no different than the fans on here.  Those that think Luka is / was the best player of the draft class HATE the trade for the Hawks and those that didn't think Luka was clearly better than Trae or have questions about him don't hate the trade.  All those grades are based on the writer's preconceived opinion Luka and Trae.  

Personally, I preferred Luka over Trae but it was just that - a matter of preference.  I haven't made up my mind that either will be clearly better than the other so I willing to roll with the franchise and take the extra pick next year.  If nothing else, Trae should bring some excitement to an otherwise underwhelming team situation.  

I'm in a different category.

I don't think Luka is the next coming.

I did like the trade. 

I don't like Trae.  I hope he grows on me but I see small and no defense.   The trade is great.   We could have picked other players that made more sense.   But getting Trae was a population pick.