Five Top Available Players Atlanta Could Target on Day 2

Day one of the NBA Draft is over. The Atlanta Hawks were first on the clock tonight and they decided to stay #1 and take French forward Zaccharie Risacher. Risacher will try to come in and help the Hawks with their shooting and wing defense, two things the Hawks really needed.

Although the Hawks only have the first pick in this year’s draft, could they try to get a second-round pick to take a player they really like? There are still some good players on the board and they could intrigue the Hawks.

Atlanta could try to acquire another first or second round pick via trade or could try to purchase a second round pick. It’s become a popular thing for teams to do and second-round picks have become really valuable with the new CBA, as Forbes’ Bryan Toporek explains:

“Second-round picks are also expected to become more valuable in coming years thanks to the new CBA. Previously, teams had to dip into cap space or a salary cap exception such as the mid-level exception for sign contracts with second-round picks If they signed them using the minimum player count exception, they were limited to a maximum two-year deal.

The new CBA introduced a second-round draft exception that allows teams to sign second-rounders to three- or four-year deals without dipping into cap space or their MLE. Such contracts must be two years with a third-year team option or three years with a fourth-year team option, and they pay slightly more than the minimum salary for players without NBA experience.

The Sacramento Kings became the first team to use the second-round exception when they signed 34th overall pick Colby Jones to a four-year contract worth $8.8 million, according to Shams Charania The Atlanta Hawks followed suit by signing 39th overall pick Mouhamed Gueye to a four-year contract worth $7.7 million, according to The Athletic. Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This seems to be becoming more and more common in recent years, especially for early second-rounders.

In the early and mid-2010s, it was Relatively common for teams to sell each other second-round picks. For example, the Chicago Bulls traded No. 38 pick Jordan Bell to the Golden State Warriors at the height of their dynasty in 2017 for $3.5 million in cash. Four years later, the Philadelphia 76ers sent $2 million in cash to the New Orleans Pelicans to acquire the No. 53 pick, according to Charania“.

If the Hawks want to acquire another pick, these are the routes they will have to take. A team could be looking to opt out of the draft and not want to select a player and the Hawks could attempt to shop their pick. If they did this, who should they target?

1. Johnny Furphy – 6’8, SG/SF, Kansas

I was surprised to see Furphy not come off the board in the first round of the NBA Draft and I could see Atlanta wanting to move back into the draft to get another wing that can shoot. There is some overlap with Risacher, but as we all know, you can never have enough wing players that can shoot.

2. Kyle Filipowski – 6’11, C, Duke

Filipowski is another player whose decline I was surprised to see. He’s a five player who has improved defensively this season and I didn’t think he was going to be completely knocked out of the first round. The Hawks could consider trading Clint Capela and could use a backup center behind Onyeka Okongwu if that’s the direction they go.

3. Kevin McCullar Jr. (SG/SF, Kansas, 6’5, 205 LBS)

While there are some injury concerns regarding McCullar Jr, I think he would be a good defensive player in the league and someone the Hawks should keep an eye on. The offensive concerns are there, however, and Atlanta may not want to have them.

4. Jonathan Mogbo (6’6, 217 pounds, San Francisco)

Mogbo is one of the most interesting prospects in this class, with super long arms and impressive athleticism. The Hawks have done a good job developing G-League players and he should definitely start there and develop, but the tools are there for him to be an intriguing NBA player with character traits.

5. Harrison Ingram (SG/SF, UNC, 6’5, 234 LBS)

Ingram and McCullar Jr are similar players. I think Ingram could be a great defender in the league and a good rebounder at the next level. He could be a 3-and-D player coming off the bench