NBA Draft Matchmaker: Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks won the NBA draft lottery and will therefore be first in next month’s two-day draft event.

Playing matchmaker for a team that has two All-Star caliber guards, plenty of wing players and two players capable of starting at center is no easy task.

The fact is, there isn’t a single obvious fit for the Hawks, when looking at the draft from a positional needs perspective.

As such, it’s about that delicious, tasteful upside, and how that upside pairs with a guard duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.

And look, we could sit here and waste our time mentioning five or six guys, all of whom will arrive in the NBA next month with substantial potential.

But let’s not think too much about it. We just turned a difficult task into an easy one.

It’s Alexandre Sarr, and here’s the main reason.

Unlike the current center combo of Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu, Sarr has the advantage of taking the best from each of those guys and merging it into one player.

Capela, as we know, doesn’t have any type of reliable jump shot. While Okongwu develops one and is a perfectly solid defender, he is 6-foot-8 and will always play at some disadvantage because of that.

Sarr offers you the complete package.

He’s 7-foot-1, very athletic, has high shooting potential, his defensive potential is huge, and he’ll catch lobs off Young/Murray passes.

Although he has yet to be tested by the NBA, his game should – in theory – match Young in a way that no Hawks big man ever has, and that alone is a major asset for a team that needs to progress further given the quality of the players already present. the list.

Sarr will also benefit from playing with two guards who can serve him a steady diet of high-percentage shooting, which should help him ease his way into his freshman year, and perhaps gain some early confidence that could be used as a springboard. for its future progress.

Sarr’s presence will also invite the Hawks to get out and run, using his long strides as an asset on quick blocks and knocking early points off the shot clock. The easier the buckets, the better for Atlanta.

For years, the Hawks have lacked a big man capable of stepping up to the plate. Someone who was more than just a lob threat, more than just a defender, and more than just a complementary player.

Sarr, for all intents and purposes, is that guy.

Unless otherwise stated, all statistics via NBA.com, PBPStats, Clean the glass Or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All chances thanks to FanDuel Sports Betting.

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