NBA Draft 2024 Rumors: Hawks Doing 'Due Diligence' on Donovan Clingan, More at No. 1

The Atlanta Hawks are doing "due diligence" by considering former UConn center Donovan Clingan as the potential No. 1 pick of the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft, Sam Vecenie reported for the Athletic.

The Hawks are considering Clingan in addition to consensus top pick options like Australian league star Alex Sarr and French league standout Zaccharie Risacher, according to Vecenie.

"Because the Hawks are still earlier in their process than many of the other teams at the top of the lottery, this selection is still seen as being fluid," Vecenie wrote.

Vecenie continued: "The two most popular names that come up around the league remain Sarr and Risacher, but the Hawks continue to perform due diligence beyond those two. Donovan Clingan is also seen as a potential option at all three of the top selections."

The Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets, who hold the Brooklyn Nets' pick, are selecting behind the Hawks.

Clingan started 33 times for UConn during his breakout sophomore season, during which he averaged 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.

Vecenie projects Clingan as a potential option for the Hawks, Wizards or Rockets, but does not see him as a likely pick by the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons or Charlotte Hornets with the following three picks.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski previously said on The Woj Pod (h/t Forbes' Evan Sidery) that he could see Clingan going to one of these three teams.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony has also tied Clingan to the Hawks. The draft analyst stated on Tuesday's episode of The Lowe Post that Atlanta head coach Quin Snyder "especially likes Clingan."

"Atlanta had, I think one of the worst defenses in the NBA the past few years," Givony said (h/t Alex Lord of SportsTalkATL.) "One great way to fix that is to draft a guy with a 9-foot-7 standing reach who is the best shot blocker in this draft."

Jonathan Wasserman projects Clingan dropping to No. 6 in his latest 2024 NBA Mock Draft for Bleacher Report, where he could see the Hornets selecting him as "the best player available" despite the potential logjam it could create at the position behind Mark Williams.

If not, the Hornets could trade down with another team looking to add a big man, Wasserman noted.

Clingan reportedly improved his draft stock at the 2024 NBA Scouting Combine, where he clocked in as the second-largest prospect behind only Purdue big man Zach Edey.

Wojnarowski also reported that Clingan has been working on his three-point shot after attempting nine and making two over two years at UConn.

That shooting development from deep, combined with his size and success with the two-time defending NCAA champions, could be enough for the Wizards or Rockets to consider drafting Clingan if the Hawks opt not to draft him with their first No. 1 pick since 1975.