Tyler Hansbrough Will Be an Atlanta Hawk if he's Available

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

If Tyler Hansbrough is available when the Atlanta Hawks come on the clock in the NBA draft, he will be an Atlanta Hawk.

Surely, that is going to make some Hawks fans wretch, but based on the glowing reports coming from his workout, it would be a major surprise if the ACC's all-time leading scorer isn't sporting a Hawks uniform come Friday morning if the Hawks have the chance to draft him.

Perhaps I'm writing this to talk myself into being okay with the pick even though I'm not a huge Hansbrough fan, but picking Hansbrough makes sense for the Hawks in a lot of ways.  The first thing you have to consider is where the Hawks are picking in the draft.

If the Hawks were mired in lottery as we've seen them so many times this decade, picking Hansbrough would be a mistake of Shelden Williams-ian proportions.  I think Hansbrough will be a better pro than the Slumlord, but that may be damning him with faint praise.

In the lottery, especially the top-five, you need to draft a player that is ready to come in and start from Day One or who you think will develop into a certifiable superstar.  Hansbrough is neither.  At 19, you need to draft the best available player that fills a certain need.  Hansbrough fits that bill for the Hawks.

Rarely will you find a player at 19 that brings a multitude of different NBA-ready skills to the floor.  You're much more likely to find specialists who excel in one area of the game.  Hansbrough brings two things to the floor that Atlanta desperately needs: rebounding and relentlessness.

The Hawks ranked 11th in the league in rebounding in 2007-08.  They outrebounded opponents by nearly one-and-a-half per game.  In 2008-09, the Hawks fell to 23rd in the league in rebounding and were outrebounded by the opposition by two per game. 

The Hawks survived the first round with Miami despite being outrebounded by the Heat, who were the worst rebounding team in the Eastern Conference during the regular season.  The Hawks were outrebounded by 10 rebounds per game in the second-round series against Cleveland.

It's easy to see why a relentless rebounder like Hansbrough can provide some help off the bench.  Rebounding is all about effort and Hansbrough brings that to the table in abundance.  His work ethic and tireless efforts to improve his game are another critical element he can bring to the Hawks.

Let's be honest, we're all sick of the listless performances from the Hawks.  It starts with Joe Johnson, who is a nonchalant guy, and extends to Mike Bibby and all the way down the roster.  The Hawks at times define "going through the motions."  They get off to poor starts.  They sleep walk through third quarters.

They need someone who will provide instant energy off the bench and that's what Hansbrough will bring to the floor every night.  You can criticize many elements of his game, but you cannot question his effort.  Ever.

Most fans want to draft a point guard, and in theory that makes sense.  Practically, that's a waste of a draft pick, especially if free agency plays out the way the Hawks hope.  The reality is, Mike Woodson wants a shoot-first, long-range bomber at the point. 

Considering he's an aging, one-dimensional point guard who is a defensive liability, free agency will be cruel to Mike Bibby.  Fortunately, his one dynamite skill, three-point shooting, is exactly what Woodson wants, so I'd be shocked to not see Bibby return. 

The Hawks also have little choice but to pay Flip Murray. Murray saved Atlanta's skin so many times this season, Atlanta will pony up and pay him.  With Bibby and Murray back in the fray, the chance a rookie point guard sees any floor time is slim-to-none.

The 19th pick won't net Atlanta a superstar in all probability, but there have been solid players picked there this decade including Hakim Warrick, Sasha Pavlovic, Zach Randolph, and Jamal Magloire.  The Hawks could do a lot worse than picking Tyler Hansbrough if he's available.

Or maybe I'm just trying to talk myself into the inevitability of a pick I'm not exactly sold on.

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