Atlanta Hawks Rumors: Buying or Selling Gossip Ahead of 2015 NBA Draft
The Atlanta Hawks, who won 60 regular-season games in 2014-15, earned the privilege of selecting No. 15 in Thursday's NBA draft from their trade of Joe Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets in 2012.
Atlanta has gone through several workouts with different players leading up to the draft and is looking to improve a solid-but-flawed roster. Two of the team's most important players (Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll) are also unrestricted free agents this summer.
So who will the Hawks target at the Barclays Center June 25?
Prognosticators across the country have offered a wide variety of possibilities, but let's wade through some of those suspicions and find out what makes sense based on what we know about the team.
Gossip Item No. 1: Jerian Grant is a Strong Possibility at No. 15
Atlanta has a workout scheduled with Notre Dame point guard Jerian Grant, according to the Atlanta Journal-Consitution's Chris Vivlamore. At 22 years old, Grant is NBA-ready, and his penetration and passing abilities would fit well in the Hawks' offensive system.
But how would he fit in Atlanta's point guard rotation?
Hawks starting floor general Jeff Teague already had a relatively low minute total (30.5 per game) this season, especially for an All-Star. That was mostly due to the emergence of the young Dennis Schroder, who took a huge step in his development and crept up to 19.7 minutes per game, which led all Atlanta reserves.
Teague and Schroder are just 27 and 21 years old, respectively. Each had a career year in 2014-15 and can be penciled in for a modest improvement next season, with possibly a bigger leap for Schroder.
One of the only ways this pick would be possible is if Atlanta is planning to trade one of its two best point guards.
It probably wouldn't be Teague, as Schroder and Grant would make up an awfully young point guard duo for a hopeful NBA title contender. And if the Hawks were looking to trade Schroder, they'd probably want to wait a bit so he can recover his stock after an up-and-down playoff run.
The other way this pick would be somewhat feasible is if Atlanta plans to use Grant at shooting guard.
However, it's doubtful the Hawks want Grant, a ball-dominant player who isn't a great spot-up shooter, playing at that position. The Notre Dame standout would have to split ball-handling responsibilities with Teague or Schroder, a situation that benefits zero members of the trio.
Atlanta won't use a first-round selection to draft an NBA-ready player who plays primarily at the team's deepest position.
Verdict: Sell
Gossip Item No. 2: Bobby Portis is the Most Likely Pick at No. 15
One name that has become more and more connected with the Hawks in mock drafts is Bobby Portis.
ESPN's Chad Ford has sent Portis to Atlanta in his two most recent mocks, Peachtree Hoops selected the Arkansas power forward for the Hawks in SB Nation's mock draft and many other outlets have also projected Atlanta to take Portis at No. 15. Portis worked out for the Hawks last Friday, per Vivlamore.
Picking the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year would make a lot of sense for Atlanta.
We've already discussed Millsap's impending unrestricted free agency, but big men Pero Antic and Elton Brand are also on the market this summer. Millsap is an All-Star and has thrived in Atlanta, but the Hawks may not be able to offer enough money for him to stay. Antic was an unproductive rotation member this season, and Brand soaked up a few minutes here and there.
So where does Portis fit? At least one of the aforementioned three post players will be gone, and he can help fill the void.
Atlanta's biggest weakness in 2014-15 was rebounding—the team ranked No. 27 in rebound differential (-3.0) and last in offensive rebound percentage (21.4) during the regular season.
The 6'11", 246-pound Portis can help. He's not the most impressive defensive rebounder, but he sure knows how to grab his teammates' misses.
Check out the below infographic, which compares Portis' offensive rebounds per game from this year to all other projected first-round prospects from Ford's most recent mock. Statistics here are courtesy of TeamRankings.
Portis also has a strong mid-range shot and a relentless motor, which should turn him into a capable NBA role player at the very least.
The Hawks could also go with a shooting wing here, such as Devin Booker, Sam Dekker or Kelly Oubre. But Booker and Dekker sneaked into the top 10 of Ford's most recent mock, and Oubre's Paul George-like potential might tempt a lottery team to pick him up before the Hawks are on the clock.
All that to say, Portis looks like the most probable option for Atlanta if the team keeps its No. 15 pick.
Verdict: Buy
Gossip Item No. 3: The Hawks Might Trade Their No. 15 Pick
The buzz around a possible draft-night trade hasn't been particularly strong, but it has come from one prominent source: Vivlamore, a Hawks beat writer who has plenty of inside knowledge.
In his column from last Saturday, Vivlamore said the following about Atlanta's trade prospects for the draft:
"Trading up is a possibility, especially with two second-round picks and an extra one next year courtesy of the Nets. Trading back becomes an option if a favorite or one of the top 20 players they've identified falls. Trading picks for a current NBA player or international player is an option.
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The first scenario presented by Vivlamore is especially intriguing. Say the Hawks use their future picks to trade up a handful of spots and nab Stanley Johnson, a physical two-way swingman with an improving shooting stroke.
Then, if Carroll ends up leaving, Atlanta could feel nicely about the small forward position with the 19-year-old Johnson waiting in the wings (no pun intended).
Trading back might not be the worst thing, either. The 10-to-25-pick range is littered with solid prospects, and it's anybody's guess who gets selected when. If the Hawks can get one of their guys several slots later than No. 15, they should pull the trigger.
Getting a current player with their pick could also pay off if the Hawks really want to dive headfirst into win-now mode. A big, rebounding post player or a three-point shooting wing should be their top targets.
The Hawks have some youth on their roster, but they also aren't an unproven team just desperate to stockpile young potential. They could go a variety of directions on draft night Thursday, and trading their pick is one of them.
Verdict: Buy
All statistics and measurements are from DraftExpress, Basketball-Reference.com, NBA.com and ESPN.com (including ESPN's Hollinger Stats) and updated through June 22 unless otherwise indicated.
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