Draft Atlanta Hawks Pick-Swap Watch Thread

Will the 2026 Hawks Swap Convey?

  • Yes

  • No

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The meltdown in here is going to be hillarious when we trade the pick away for Raptors 20132 pick. :st-lol:

We're talking about getting big, mobile wings that can do a bit of everything, but we already have one of those in development.
CB will need more minutes next season, we're not taking any from Champ and Keldon, meaning whoever we draft has no minutes available unless he's way better than expected.
If we draft someone, it's likely going to be a project that won't get minutes right away.
Maybe we even go for another combo guard that would take the McLaughlin/Waters role because of DJG's untimely demise.

Fox/Harper/Castle/backup guard
Vassell/Keldon/Champ/CB/veteran forward (whether it be Barnes or someone else)
Wemby/Kornet/third stringer

That's the 12 player rotation. I'd dare to say all the way up until summer 2028 unless one of the role players really fucks up in the playoffs or serious injuries happen.
The only thing separating us from that rotation being locked in are Keldon and Champ extensions, I think both get done this summer, even if we don't keep them long term, we want to have them as potential trade assets.
Tbh, trading the pick is probably the right move so we can refresh the team after those extensions start adding up.
 
LeBowen said:
The meltdown in here is going to be hillarious when we trade the pick away for Raptors 20132 pick. :st-lol:

We're talking about getting big, mobile wings that can do a bit of everything, but we already have one of those in development.
CB will need more minutes next season, we're not taking any from Champ and Keldon, meaning whoever we draft has no minutes available unless he's way better than expected.
If we draft someone, it's likely going to be a project that won't get minutes right away.
Maybe we even go for another combo guard that would take the McLaughlin/Waters role because of DJG's untimely demise.

Fox/Harper/Castle/backup guard
Vassell/Keldon/Champ/CB/veteran forward (whether it be Barnes or someone else)
Wemby/Kornet/third stringer

That's the 12 player rotation. I'd dare to say all the way up until summer 2028 unless one of the role players really fucks up in the playoffs or serious injuries happen.
The only thing separating us from that rotation being locked in are Keldon and Champ extensions, I think both get done this summer, even if we don't keep them long term, we want to have them as potential trade assets.
Tbh, trading the pick is probably the right move so we can refresh the team after those extensions start adding up.
Click to expand...
yeah the spurs more or less have next year's rotation already under contract and then still have the MLE/BAE for finishing touches

you also dont need to draft somebody in the first round with the expectation that they'll be an immediate rotation player. you can look ahead and see that you probably wont be able to keep both of vassell/champagie long term. you can look ahead and see that maybe you dont trust kornet will hold up for the duration of his 4 year deal, and he has very little guaranteed money after next year.
 
I'd much rather trade out the next years' pick that we'll get from ATL than this swap, for the sole reason than even a 15-20 pick in this allegedly loaded draft may well be a better prospect than a 15th or even low-lottery pick in that allegedly bad draft class.

Haven't followed draft prospects at all this season, but hard not to think that we're missing that "Kornet insurance" still tbh. None of the Deep Bench TOSB bigs looks playable, let alone development-caliber, and we're seriously banking on Luke's body holding up throughout the postseason. Wouldn't feel comfortable to bet on that again for next season, if we can help it.

So whichever strict C prospect, preferably mobile and with a semblance of a shot... Or maybe a Purrrtle type..... I'd take that over a Raptors 20132 pick for sure.
 
scott said:
While some may be understandably disappointed in not getting delivered a lottery pick... it does need to be pointed out that jumping from 29 to 19 (which is what would happen if the season ended today) is still an extremely valuable jump that is on the upper half of the range of outcomes for a swap. Still very good work.
Click to expand...

Yeah, agree. It'd be fun to be in the lottery again, but really we got insanely lucky to jump up to get Castle and even luckier to jump up to get Harper, not to mention Victor. I was iffy about the Bryant pick - he was okay to me - but he looks way more promising than I hoped. I'm good where we are, and that jump of 10 spots or whatever is very nice.
 
LeBowen said:
The meltdown in here is going to be hillarious when we trade the pick away for Raptors 20132 pick. :st-lol:
Click to expand...
As someone who still thinks we got a poor return on the pick that became Dillingham... I'd love if we did this. I'd be perfectly content coming out of this draft with some future draft capital and a couple of SRP projects, maybe one on a guaranteed deal and two for two-way projects.
 
scott said:
As someone who still thinks we got a poor return on the pick that became Dillingham... I'd love if we did this. I'd be perfectly content coming out of this draft with some future draft capital and a couple of SRP projects, maybe one on a guaranteed deal and two for two-way projects.
Click to expand...
Same. I'd be content to keep working Harper and Bryant into things next year. Hell, maybe even DJG. We do need a couple of things, but I'm not sure they can be had in this draft.
 
Agree that Spurs trading Hawks' first round pick is a strong possibility.

Question is how much trade value will have this pick?
There are little doubts there will be buyers but how many sellers will there be in that range ?
OKC should have two picks just before Hawks pick. What will they do with these picks? If these picks are on the market, it will surely hurt Hawks' pick market value.
 
I hadn't really looked, but ATL's remaining games are pretty hard.

Detroit
Boston x2
Knicks
Cleveland x2
Orlando
Miami

with two gimmes

Brooklyn
Sacramento

I'm not sure that means anything, as Philly and Orlando have one more loss than them and Miami and Charlotte have two more losses and none of them are doing particularly well. Atlanta's huge tear has done very well for them.
 
So annoying that ATL had such a cupcake schedule. But whether they are 7 or 10 doesnt matter a ton; still will be play-in at least and can still end up in lottery.
 
they are 1 game from 5th, but also 1 game from 8th, and 2 games from 10th

final stretch will say a lot
 
Bruno said:
Agree that Spurs trading Hawks' first round pick is a strong possibility.

Question is how much trade value will have this pick?
There are little doubts there will be buyers but how many sellers will there be in that range ?
OKC should have two picks just before Hawks pick. What will they do with these picks? If these picks are on the market, it will surely hurt Hawks' pick market value.
Click to expand...
interesting point about OKC trading their pick will hurt Spurs pick's trade value. I think you are right, OKC will never use both picks, considering their full roster. they might go for a trade up scenario, there are some rebuilding teams, that might prefer two FRPs, if they don't win a top 4 in the lottery. (Bucks and Bulls?).

that said, I also think the Spurs will at least try to trade the pick. there will be teams, who are desperate to get a FRP this year, even a not so good one. and they could offer future draft picks. (Pels. Kings and Bulls might look for another FRP and give up on a future FRP in exchange)
 
Bruno said:
Agree that Spurs trading Hawks' first round pick is a strong possibility.

Question is how much trade value will have this pick?
There are little doubts there will be buyers but how many sellers will there be in that range ?
OKC should have two picks just before Hawks pick. What will they do with these picks? If these picks are on the market, it will surely hurt Hawks' pick market value.
Click to expand...
The Spurs need to still have the mindset to improve the roster(need a starting quality PF and backup C and a bench shooter) as OK City will have two higher draft picks and they aren't likely going to sit on their current roster. Should trade a player (Champ, Vassell , Johnson, Barnes) with the draft pick to open more minutes for Harper and to tweak some of the roster deficiencies.
 
Vienna said:
interesting point about OKC trading their pick will hurt Spurs pick's trade value. I think you are right, OKC will never use both picks, considering their full roster. they might go for a trade up scenario, there are some rebuilding teams, that might prefer two FRPs, if they don't win a top 4 in the lottery. (Bucks and Bulls?).
Click to expand...

OKC will need to be creative this summer because they are in a tough financial situation. Their 15 players are under contract for next season but their combined salary is $250M which mean OKC will have to pay $213M in luxury tax.

They have 3 players (Hartenstein, Dort and Kenrich Williams) with a team option in their contract. Cutting Kenrich Williams won't really hurt them and will lower their team salary by $7M which makes about $50M less in luxury tax but they will need to do more than that. A reasonable guess is that they will try to stay below the second apron at $222M. At $222M, they will pay $48M in luxury tax. Losing Hartenstein and/or Dort will be way more problematic for them.

OKC might view these mid first round picks as a way to have good players on a low salary for 4 years. Older prospect like Haugh or Lendeborg would make sense as cheap rotation players for them. They might also trade them to save some money. I'm not sure what they will do.

At the end, it's quite possible that OKC roster won't be as good next season as this season for financial reasons which will be a great news for Spurs.
 
I think it'll be a seller's market, there's a widespread need for cheap contributors and a deep class. I wouldn't be shocked if a team around the mid teens got similar value to what the Spurs got for #8 in 2024.
 
Bruno said:
OKC will need to be creative this summer because they are in a tough financial situation. Their 15 players are under contract for next season but their combined salary is $250M which mean OKC will have to pay $213M in luxury tax.

They have 3 players (Hartenstein, Dort and Kenrich Williams) with a team option in their contract. Cutting Kenrich Williams won't really hurt them and will lower their team salary by $7M which makes about $50M less in luxury tax but they will need to do more than that. A reasonable guess is that they will try to stay below the second apron at $222M. At $222M, they will pay $48M in luxury tax. Losing Hartenstein and/or Dort will be way more problematic for them.

OKC might view these mid first round picks as a way to have good players on a low salary for 4 years. Older prospect like Haugh or Lendeborg would make sense as cheap rotation players for them. They might also trade them to save some money. I'm not sure what they will do.

At the end, it's quite possible that OKC roster won't be as good next season as this season for financial reasons which will be a great news for Spurs.
Click to expand...

I think losing Dort is a foregone conclusion especially with the emergence of Cason Wallace. They'll probably try and convince Hartenstein to take a per year paycut in return for more guaranteed money. He's pretty crucial to what they do and not someone that a guy like Sorber could easily replace.

Not sure if Hartenstein does that, there would be a lot of teams that will line up to give him 20+ mil per year tbh.
 
Last edited:
Mugen said:
I think losing Dort is a foregone conclusion especially with the emergence of Cason Wallace. They'll probably try and convince Hartenstein to take a per year paycut in return for more guaranteed money. He's pretty crucial to what they do and not something that a guy like Sorber could easily replace.

Not sure if Hartenstein does that, there would be a lot of teams that will line up to give him 20+ mil per year tbh.
Click to expand...
It's a team option next year, but I'm sure if he hits the open market he could get 25M+ per year from a team like the Lakers.
 
Gross forgot Detroit is playing without Cade so Atlanta is actually winning right now they keep getting all the benefits of playing weakened teams
 
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