It’s official the Atlanta Hawks have the number one overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and while all Hawks fans are excited about the pick some Hawks fans are excited about the potential of trading the pick instead of Atlanta actually selecting a player because of the notion that this is a weak draft class. However, earlier today The Morning Shift gave you three reasons why this draft class shouldn't be looked at as weak.
1.) Players take time to develop even some star players
“There might not be star power for these guys right now, but in five years who knows, might be a billboard up.” Beau Morgan said.
Beau is spot on because the fact of the matter is in today’s one and done era of college basketball a lot of NBA draft picks take more time to develop and more times than not there are hidden gems in every single NBA draft it’s just the teams’ job to find them.
Beau and Mike also point out the fact that stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard were each drafted 15th overall in their respective drafts, the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic was a second round pick, 41st overall, and Atlanta’s rising star Jalen Johnson was the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
2.) Quin Snyder has had success developing young players i.e. Jalen Johnson
Speaking of Jalen Johnson, he's part of the second reason this draft shouldn’t be considered a weak draft, along with Hawks Head Coach Quin Snyder. With Hawks having the first overall pick they’ll have the opportunity to draft the player who they believe has the most talent and is the most NBA ready, but there’s more to it than that, and again in today's one and done era of college basketball a lot of NBA draft picks take more time to develop and they need to be coached up.
Quin Snyder has coached up and helped develop young players that are thriving in today’s league such as Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, and last season he helped Jalen Johnson take a big leap in his career and Beau pointed that out.
“He [Jalen Johnson] became a better player under Quin Snyder, and that gives you hope that when you bring in a young player, you know a first overall pick, that Quin Snyder is going to be able to help maybe grow him, that’s what you hope. Young players in this league have flourished under Quin Snyder, let’s not forget, so hopefully that’s something that can happen with the first overall pick.”
3.) Hawks don’t need a star player in this draft
Now, of course the goal for the Hawks is to draft who they think will be the next biggest star in the league and obviously the team’s next franchise player, but Mike Johnson did a great job of breaking down why the Hawks number one overall pick doesn’t have to be a number one, face of a franchise type player.
“I don’t think that this is going to be somebody you build your franchise around, it doesn’t mean they can’t be that second piece, or that third piece that really is complimentary that fits in very very well to what you do and I think that’s what Alex Sarr is. I think that’s what we should be looking at it as.”
Again, the Hawks want to find the next big star of the league, they obviously want another franchise player, but if they plan on pairing this player with Trae Young he doesn’t have to be that, and even if he is a star he might take some time to develop, but Coach Snyder is the right guy to help develop him as well. All in all this is exciting time for Atlanta Hawks fans and this draft shouldn’t be looked at as weak.