Atlanta Hawks still at crossroads with No. 1 overall pick

There is no Lebron James, nor Anthony Edwards. No prospect rivals Victor Wembanyama, last year’s first overall pick, or Zion Williamson, considered the best player in the world just five years ago.

Usually, it’s exciting for a team to have the first pick in the NBA draft. This is when there are more slam dunk stars available. And, of course, the Atlanta Hawks win the NBA draft lottery as the discussion over who the top talent is will likely continue forever.

No prospect this year is perfect or taken for granted. Instead, the debate over which player has the highest ceiling and which player might be the best pick for the Hawks probably won’t even end after the pick is selected next Wednesday.

The Hawks are, once again, at a crossroads. If you’ve been following this franchise for any length of time, this is a recurring theme. This team exudes mediocrity, even historically. And that breeds franchise-changing decisions that can lead a team to the playoffs or, if it’s not the right decision, to another rebuild.

Three summers ago, the Hawks were the talk of the NBA. They made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and who knows, if Trae Young hadn’t stepped on a referee’s toe, they might have beaten the Milwaukee Bucks and played for an NBA title for the first time ever .

Since that magical run, however, the Hawks have returned to what they are: mediocrity. They are 120-126 in the regular season. They finished ninth, eighth and tenth in the Eastern Conference. Instead of struggling to go further than ever in the playoffs, they have, you guessed it, settled into their normal purgatory range.

And now? They have their supposed best star player since Dominique Wilkins in Young, but there is uncertainty if they even want him or if he wants them long term. They have a failed experiment when they acquired another guard in Dejounte Murray to complement Young, leading to hopes that he will be traded this summer.

The perception of ownership is that it is cheap, even though Tony Ressler is one of the seven richest owners in the NBA. Attendance, which should be better with a star player, was the sixth worst in the league last year. And the buzz generated across the state of Georgia by the playoffs three years ago has fizzled.

The truth is, the Braves are playing, people are on vacation, and sports fans in Georgia are already counting down to the start of football season. The Hawks are irrelevant.

That could change, however, if they hit a home run on that first draft pick. If this player can become a star, maybe people will notice him again.

The Hawks have good players. Once they figure out which guard to keep, Young or Murray, that player will also have Bogdan Bogdanovic, Jalen Johnson and De’Andre Hunter around. Bogdanovic is a solid veteran who can shoot. Johnson is a rising star who could be the team’s best player in another season, and Hunter is also a solid player who may have found a niche coming off the bench late last season.

Solid players, but not a star. This is what the Hawks need to get with this pick. Do they go for the player with the best potential or the player who might best fit the current roster?

The debates continue over who has the best potential in this draft. Many believe that French striker Zaccharie Risacher, 19, could fit this profile. He is an athletic and intelligent winger who can play defense and many believe he can improve as he grows. Would Risacher and Johnson create a solid forward duo for the Hawks?

The next two players are both big men, who could fill a need with starter Clint Capela likely on his way out. Alexandre Sarr, also French and also 19 years old, has great defensive abilities but some are divided on his offensive potential. Then there’s UConn center Donavan Clingan, who just turned 20 but played on two national championship teams and is attracting more attention lately with his defensive skills and presence in the middle.

Some wonder if Young stays, could he find a pick-and-roll partner in Sarr or Clingan. Rumors have Young intrigued with Clingan for this possibility. And the potential for improvement in Atlanta’s defense must be taken into account, since the Hawks have been essentially in a shootout over the last two years with poor overall defense. Although Capela has been a good player, opponents simply have no fear of going to the basket. Sarr or Clingan could possibly change that.

So, am I going to push for a specific player and say the Hawks need to go with this guy or that guy or they’ll regret it for decades? Certainly not. I wish I knew which of these three will be the star they so desperately need. And therein lies the dilemma of this franchise. There is no clear, perfect choice, but those who support the Hawks will just have to hope that this front office gets it right.

Otherwise, the road to mediocrity will continue forever, with Harry the Falcon driving the bus.

Listen to The Bill Shanks Show weekdays at 3 p.m. ET on TheSuperStations.com and on 104.3 FM in Savannah. You can email Bill at[email protected].

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