Potential No. 1 pick for Atlanta gets all-star player from Memphis Grizzlies

The most popular name among draft analysts for the Hawks to use the No. 1 pick was French big Alexandre Sarr, a 7’1 220 LBS forward who should be a defensive force in the NBA. Sarr also appears to be the top pick among Hawks fans, but there is still a lot of debate over who will actually become No. 1. Sarr is certainly in the running for the top pick, but there are still three weeks until the game. The Hawks are officially on the clock with the No. 1 pick.

There have also been a whole host of player comparisons between Sarr and the No. 1 pick, with Cleveland forward Evan Mobley being a popular lineup, but ESPN’s Jeremy Woo made a very interesting comparison today for the French hope:

Top of the line: Jaren Jackson Jr.

Low end: Nic Claxton

“The model for Sarr’s role at the next level is something like Jackson, who gives Memphis high-quality spacing and elite paint protection while switching between power forward and center. Sarr has a Long way to go as a shooter to get to Jackson’s level, but that ceiling is within his reach, with a huge and mobile 7-foot-1 frame that makes him a great long-term prospect.

If he doesn’t develop at this rate, Sarr could still be a solid contributor like Claxton, who established himself as a useful defensive role after five seasons with the Nets but hasn’t made a big move ahead. offensive end. »

I think ultimately, if Sarr turns out to be anything like either of those players, it would be a win for the Hawks, but if he turns out to be anything like Jackson Jr, that would significantly increase the Hawks’ cap space.

Jackson Jr is one of the best defensive players in the NBA when healthy and was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. He is also a two-time All-Defense selection (2022, 2023) and led the NBA in blocked shots twice (2022, 2023). Having a player with that kind of ability who can also stretch the floor on offense would be huge for the Hawks, especially if they choose to keep Trae Young. A player with that kind of potential alongside Young, Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu could significantly raise the Hawks’ ceiling.

What if it turns out he looks more like Claxton than Jackson Jr? That would still give the defense a huge boost, but Claxton doesn’t have much of an offensive game, besides being a threat. Spacing would be an issue if Sarr couldn’t develop a reliable offensive game that included shooting and the ability to drive to the basket. Sarr has the talent to do it, but that’s his biggest question mark heading into the draft.

He would be an immediate impact defender with a ton of ability. He’s the kind of player the Hawks need on that end of the floor and he would give them a boost in their biggest area of ​​need.

If they take Sarr, I think it would hasten Clint Capela’s exit from the Hawks, because I think Sarr is going to play center in the league (but he could play power forward). Atlanta would be in a bind at this position and if you take Sarr at No. 1, he needs to play a lot of minutes right away, without coming off the bench. Capela was already a trade candidate due to his expiring contract and his age. I think the biggest question would be whether Sarr and Onyeka Okongwu could play together on the court. Okongwu has primarily been a center with the Hawks and rarely shares the court with another big man, although head coach Quin Snyder tried lineups with Capela and Okongwu on the court together last year, although it was in limited number.

According to Cleaning the Glass, Okongwu and Capela only played 279 possessions this season and had a +2.1 point differential when sharing the court. The problem is that this sample size is far too small and there isn’t enough evidence to say Okongwu could play all four well.

If Sarr and Okongwu were to play together, the question of floor spacing would arise. Okongwu showed a willingness to make more three-pointers last season, but only attempted 69 and made 23 (33%). Arguably he would have taken more three points if he hadn’t gotten hurt, but his three-point shooting remains a big question mark. Combine that with Sarr’s questions on the offensive end and his ability to space the court, this could be a tricky situation for Atlanta.

But it’s not just the fit between Okongwu and Sarr that would be the question. Jalen Johnson made huge strides on offense last season, including improving the three-point shot. Johnson shot 28.8% from three in 2022-23, but improved that to 35.5% this season, going 71-200. Could there be another leap in his future? This would help in the event that Atlanta decides to take Sarr and not trade Okongwu.

The defensive shape would be very intriguing with these three guys on the floor though. Some of Atlanta’s best lineups included Johnson and Okongwu, although it was a small sample size, but one has to wonder if there might be something there. If Johnson and Okongwu both show the moves to space the field, this could make for a dangerous lineup moving forward. The ability of Johnson, Okongwu and Sarr to switch and guard multiple positions would be something Atlanta never had with Trae Young and would help hide its defensive deficiencies.

His offensive game is a question mark. He’s not a great shooter and he doesn’t finish through contact, and he hasn’t been a very good screener so far, although that’s a serviceable trait. Playing with Young or Murray would help him fit in on offense, but he still needs to make a lot of improvement on that side of the floor to be able to reach his ceiling.

I like Sarr’s fit on the Hawks, it’s safe to say, but he’s not a perfect prospect. It will be interesting to see what the Hawks front office thinks of his fit and ceiling on this team.

Three weeks until draft time.