Atlanta Hawks: Could these draft prospects help the Hawks now?
Could this be Atlanta's next 'Nique? (Atoyia Deans, St. Pete Times)
Before you can begin to examine the players the Hawks will consider drafting with the No. 24 pick on Thursday, you first must understand the competing philosophies at play.
As they wind down their draft preparations, GM Rick Sund, assistant GM Dave Pendergraft, Hawks scouts and L.D. must decide if they want to draft a player with a skill (or skills) that can help the team now but with limited upside, or take a prospect who likely won’t see minutes early but could develop later into a good NBA player. The Hawks are compiling a list of players in each pool.
“First, we have to decide which way to go,” Pendergraft said. He declined to name names but he and others provided enough clues for me to make some educated guesses. I fully expect to be hated on when the Hawks inevitably don’t draft any of these guys.
Once the Hawks determine their strategy, they then have to figure out which prospects are likely to be there when they pick. Considering the league office had a tough time completing its list of 15 players to invite to the “green room” in New York, you know how much guesswork goes into the Hawks figuring out which players will be there at No. 24.
“Do we figure out who is drafting who?” Pendergraft said. “Or do we try to continue to evaluate the players on tape and do background info on them? You want to know exactly who is taking who, but you are not going to get it [down] to the team anyway.” He said the Hawks have done “a bit of both” as draft day approaches.
Pendergraft was optimistic about the depth of the draft during the college season but grew pessimistic early in the postseason draft process. With the draft a couple days away, he’s somewhere in between.
“I think we will be glad to get a guy we are happy to have,” he said.
A look at the players that could be available at No. 24 that the Hawks might consider, from among the “could help them now” pool. I’ll have stuff on the long-term potential guys in a later blog post.
NBA skill now
Gani Lawal, F, 6-9, Georgia Tech
“One thing I think always translates from the college game to NBA is rebounding,” Pendergraft said, and that explains Atlanta’s interest in Lawal despite his projection to play power forward, where the Hawks have Smoove, Al and Zaza as options.
Lawal ranked 25th in the NCAA in pace-adjusted rebounds, according to Draftexpress.com. Lawal ranks seventh in that stat among sure-fire and possible first rounders, behind DeMarcus Cousins, Cole Aldrich, Larry Sanders, Hassan Whiteside, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Jarvis Varnado.
Trevor Booker, F, 6-7, Clemson
“Booker is a heck of a rebounder,” Pendergraft said. “Both of them [Booker and Lawal] have the physical presence. They are not going to get crushed.” Booker projects as a power forward and is undersized for the position, but according to NBADraft.net he “shows the ability to step out on the perimeter and knock down the jumper, even showing three point range at times” and “can also use his handle and quickness to blow by bigger defenders.”
So perhaps Booker could provide the Hawks more than just rebounding.
Jordan Crawford, G, 6-4, Xavier
Crawford canceled his workout with the Hawks and Pendergraft isn’t confident he will still be available at No. 24. DraftExpress.com has has Crawford going 27th to the Nets, so it’s possible Atlanta will have a shot at him. If he’s there and the Hawks want a scorer, Crawford might be the guy.
“He’s like a miniature version of Jamal [Crawford],” Pendergraft said.
Says DraftExpress: “[H]e is efficient in virtually every situation, and shouldered a heavy load for Xavier, but his inability to get to the foul line prevents him from standing out as much as he probably could. The second most efficient player in our rankings overall (1.014 PPP), Crawford gets fouled on his 5.1% of his shots (3rd last). A highly ranked catch and shoot player with or without a hand in his face, Crawford’s inability to draw fouls renders him as a below average finisher at .993 PPP.”
Dominique Jones, 6-4, G, South Florida
Jones, whose stock reportedly is on the rise, is another scorer: DraftExpress says he’s “both a high usage and high efficiency scorer, which is a rare combination to find.”
Pendergraft said Jones gets his points less by shooting well and more by getting to the basket. “He will find a way to score,” is how Pendergraft put it. “He’s such a great ballhandler. He’s so strong. He can get in the paint, and anytime you can get a guy in the paint [on] the dribble-drive, something good happens.”
Terrico White, 6-3, G, Ole Miss
Whits is a scorer like Jones but a better shooter. “Terrico White eventually is going to be a good enough shooter that the coach is going to run plays to get him open,” Pendergraft said. DraftExpress knocks White’s aggressiveness: “For a player with such excellent physical tools, you would have liked to see him get to the rim or draw more fouls than he was able to at Ole Miss.”
MC
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282 comments Add your comment
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
7:32 pm
Rondo
Oh yeah! And prayer helps too. We have to pray for forgiveness all the time, every day.
Because, we are all sinners and that’s why Jesus died, so that we can be forgiven, when we fall short!
Oh, yes, Mr. Rondo, we all fall short. Even, you do too!
Peace & Love not Sticks and Stones. Lighten up and have some fun on the blog.
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
7:38 pm
Rondo are you also, Knowledge Quest?
(Hell, I can’t keep up with all these same people posters … Makes my head spin!)
He is the blogger, that took it there.
He and I had to have a “Come to Jesus” meeting.
He was going way overboard with all the …
World’s Troubles and tried to blame all that ISH on one person?
Now Rondo, you know – that is just wronge!
Word to the Wise
June 23rd, 2010
7:50 pm
Render unto Caesar, the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things which are Gods.
Politics and religion drink their water from the same trough
hope and faith spring from the same fountain.
Knowledge Quest
June 23rd, 2010
7:51 pm
It was just a matter of time before you decided to position one of your adversaries as Truth Serum.
I saw that coming!
MannyT
June 23rd, 2010
7:53 pm
Just a tidbit for @MC’s latest article about #24 picks. If he’s going to make that reach, he should have mentioned Jack Bauer. No one has made 24 as recognizable as Jack
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
7:55 pm
Sorry for the multiples?
This Blackberry is having technical difficulties.
Knowledge Quest
June 23rd, 2010
8:00 pm
“He is the blogger, that took it there.
He and I had to have a “Come to Jesus” meeting.”
You went there on your own. I did not follow and once I saw the You put on that holier than thou robe I got out of the way before the lighting bolts came.
So No You went there on your own and if there was a come to Jesus meeting I Hope you went. I heard a preacher say one day that the soul you save maybe your own.
I Just mentioned that a lot of people wanted Jesus when they vote for Obama and got Bush the 4th instead and then came this unsolicited monologue:
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
4:26 pm
Knowledge for Quest
Again, who has done that? These problems began 6000 years ago. Not, 18 months ago!
As you so eloquently and intellectually put it out there? Who is the blame for all this?
Who do you personally, blame?
I blame, the, ” Father of the Lie”. “The Ruler of this System of Things!”. Saþan the Devil!
In the Garden of Eden, Satan the Devil, deceived the Woman and tricked her into being disobedient to the
Rule of Law! And, in kind, Adam (who was neither deceived nor tricked), He chose to join with her in her sin!
The wages of SIN is DEATH! Thereby, we all grow old, get sick and die!
But, GOD loved the World so much, he gave his only begotten son and now we have the
HOPE of redemption and a resurrection to Live Restored.
Here’s my point: the Devil, being the sore loser that he is! He is testing us and our Faith in GOD!
Our innate desire to please him and serve him and to do his WILL!
The Devil, threw down the gauntlet and thereby, Challenged God’s Universal Sovereignty and
consequently, GOD’S Right to Rule over his OWN creation – ManKind!
I don’t know about you – Quest for Knowledge? But, if I were a betting Man and had to choose sides with:
Whom has the Universal Sovereignty? – (The Right to Rule over Mankind?)
I’LL PUT MY MONEY on GOD! Every Time! So, no, I don’t look to MAN-KIND’s Government to bring about what only GOD can do:
Deliver True Peace & Security around the World! For once and for all times!
In the book of Matthews: Jesus delivered to his disciples a model prayer, when they asked him,
“How do we then pray?”. … Thy Kingdom ( synonymous with government) come..
Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven!”
We just want peace man! GOD never gave Man the Power to do that!
So, no, I never voted for Obama or any other Man! I voted for God’s Son – Jesus!
He is my sacrificial Lamb, My Truth and My Way!
Good Luck on your Quest for Knowledge
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
8:25 pm
You just got – schooled about – why the World is in a mess!
Class dismissed.
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
8:30 pm
And, if anyone is looking for Jesus?
* Breaking – News!* Jesus ain’t in washington, DC and his name ain’t Obama.
Knowledge Quest
June 23rd, 2010
8:32 pm
Just skimming your sermon, I think your point is Jesus ran for president and lost.
Knowledge Quest
June 23rd, 2010
8:34 pm
Hey Just laughing out loud at the 8:32 post.
Your points are very well taken and received. Amen!
Breaking – News!* Jesus ain’t in washington, DC and his name ain’t Obama.- Double Amen!
Knowledge Quest
June 23rd, 2010
8:35 pm
Now, can we get back to trading Horford?
T.C
June 23rd, 2010
8:35 pm
How come NOBODY is talking about the seriousness of Chris Pauls injury AND THE FACT THAT HE HAD PART OF HIS KNEE REMOVED? That’s why he’s on the trading block. Because for what he had done to his knee, the future doesn’t look too bright for Mr.Paul. Essentially his knee is a ticking timebomb waiting to break down. LOOK IT UP!
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
8:51 pm
TC
Dang! CP3 had part of his knee removed? Wow! I’ll take him anyway! One knee,t
two knees or, a half – knee. He’s better than anything we got!
Did he have micro-fracture surgery?
Knowledge Quest
June 23rd, 2010
9:21 pm
T.C
June 23rd, 2010
8:35 pm
How come NOBODY is talking about the seriousness of Chris Pauls injury?
Knowledge Quest
June 23rd, 2010
2:52 pm
northcyde
June 23rd, 2010
2:36 pm
I see your points here. I was just thinking about the upside of Josh. the dude hangs out around triple double land, Plays a point forward and was named to the All Defensive team. I just believe in Defense.
Your position that Horford could be a boozer ….well , I dont think so.
I agree chris paul is a S.S. but he’s often injured and can be a ball hog.
Knowledge Quest
June 23rd, 2010
5:54 pm
Ms Dee
“I would love to have CP3 and JJ but I dont want to give up Teague, JSmoove, or Al Horford to…”
Id have to agree with you. Chris is a very good player but the game must revolve around him. Josh is a very good player who hasnt even begun to peak. With in two years he will be unstoppable, I believe. Hes pretty darn good now. Chris was a super star but injuries keep him from maximum performance. He like T-Mac in that regards. T-Mac was also a near super star but injuries kept him back to. So, NO, i do give up my nucleus to get a player who has a propensity for injury
richbrave
June 23rd, 2010
9:53 pm
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
8:30 pm
And, if anyone is looking for Jesus?
* Breaking – News!* Jesus ain’t in washington, DC and his name ain’t Obama.
And he ain’t a WIZARD either
T.C
June 23rd, 2010
9:57 pm
Here:
http://richiez23.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/knee-issues-could-potentially-hinder-nba-future-of-all-star-paul/
drmaryb
June 23rd, 2010
10:05 pm
Rich-Brave
Hey baby! The last time, I blogged you? The black hole ate my words and it was too long to
re-type it! Anyway, great to see you on here!
What’s up with the Wizards?
Another Potential List | Soaring Down South | An Atlanta Hawks blog
June 23rd, 2010
11:12 pm
[...] to have two separate lists of players. Last night, he talked about 5 players that could possibly help the Hawks right now. Tonight, he has decided to put together a list of players that could help the Hawks down the [...]
richbrave
June 24th, 2010
12:21 am
drMaryb:
They finally got a good owner. Now he’s about rebuilding the business on a solid footing starting with JOHN WALL tomorrow night. Accountability is the name of the game in WIZARDS land from now on, somethin’ new in this town, and don’t you know that’s the truth.
BTW, just learned tonight that my grandson made STATE (VA.) AA Baseball Honorable Mention as a freshman. And he got his first coach’s interest at a ballgame, LIBERTY U. in Lynchburg, Va. The first of many I’m sure. The coach came to see a senior on the other team and inquired about my grandson. About fell out when he found out he was only a freshman.
drmaryb
June 24th, 2010
1:55 am
Rich!rave
Wow! That is awesome! Your grandson is a blue-chipper Stud! Tell him to keep up the hard work and make his Grandpa proud!
Yeah, I see the Wizards are turning that ship around!
Go Wizards!
drmaryb
June 24th, 2010
2:12 am
Bees Knees!
The New Orleans Hornets’ PG has – Bees Knees! (not very funny at all!)
I just read that link re: CP3 and his knee surgery. I had no idea his injury was so
devastating. I don’t care who you are, even superman can’t fly well without one of his two meniscuses.
This is a career ending type injury. I actually specialize in extremity joint care and rehabilitation!
And, this is really bad for CP3’s career!
Can you say, Anfernee Hardaway and jamal Mashburn? Career Over!
I wouldn’t give a bag of basketballs for Chris Paul right now! Stick a fork in him, he’s done.
He now has the knee of an 80 year old man. Osteo-Arthitis is in his very near future.
He will be icing and draining that knee after each game! He is definitely on the trading blocks now!
Bynum in Los Angeles had a tear of his meniscus and you saw him hobble. Well, Chris Paul
had a complete removal of one of his meniscus, so there is no shock absorption between the Femur
And the tibial plateau.
Can you say, Bone on Bone contact? Not to mention the distal femur slipping from side to side and off the joint base? Yikes, balky knee!
Like I said earlier, trading players is like trading garbage cans!
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure – except in this case? It’s all Junk!
No Thanks – I’ll put my money on Teague!
drmaryb
June 24th, 2010
2:21 am
China Doll
Chris Paul is like a China Doll:
A pleasure to look at – A treasure to behold! But, if you break it? Consider it Sold!
This kid is like a Pinata – Pretty … but fragile!
He is like a Cadbury’s Chocolate Easter Bunny – Pretty but Hollow!
I feel really bad for him, he is very nice.
Sautee
June 24th, 2010
2:27 am
I thought everybody knew that Jesus plays in Boston.
His last name is Shuttlesworth.
drmaryb
June 24th, 2010
2:30 am
Movers and Shakers!
Minnesota has 5 first round draft picks! Tell them this draft isn’t deep – they’re not buying it!
Didn’t they also draft like 5 PG’s last year? And we know they’re stupid, what are they gonna’ do with all them picks? Package them, make trades, move up or down?
Word is, they’re looking to move Al Jefferson to break up him and Kevin Love.
Mmmmh… Is Sund listening, watching or what?
There are only three types of GM’s in the league:
1. The one who watches things happen.
2. The one who makes things happen.
3. The one who sits on the curb, and when all is said and done says, “What Happened?”
Mr. Sund, what TYPE of GM are you?
tony
June 24th, 2010
9:09 am
bigdave, let me explain what I mean by high IQ verses low IQ. Have you ever gone to a basketball game during warm ups? You might notice that most shooting guards shoot around 90 to 100% during warm ups. During the game their percentage drops around 30 to 40%. Why? Because some players can’t handle pressure and other just force and take bad shots. My perception of a high IQ shooter is a player who shoots around 45 to 50% around the perimeter.
Lets take a sg who have a high assist percentage. A sg who average around 4 assist a game I consider them as a high IQ basketball player because he shares the ball with his teammates. He’s team oriented. A high IQ pg should average around 5 to 6 assists a game. His job is to create scoring opportunities for his team and to set up the offense.
I consider a 80% free throw shooter as an high IQ basketball player because it takes good technic to knock down free throws. Free throws are very very important because they will determine the outcome in games. I will consider a 71% FT shooter depending on his overall game. I’m talking about college players only. The pros are a different beast.
I’m pretty sure other people have their on perception about this but these are mines.
Dandy
June 24th, 2010
10:12 am
lets talk about round 2…
The Hawks take…Andy Rautins G Syracuse! do it
samuel
June 24th, 2010
11:00 am
Aquire the best player you can. Then trade him for a legitmate center, Maybe the back up center to Dwight Howard.
ASHCAN.
June 24th, 2010
11:36 am
@ Flase serum i just know you didn’t mention taking notes from mark bradley? no wonder you don’t know what your talking about.Check this,THERE ARE NO READY TO PLAY RIGHT NOW CENTERS IN THE DRAFT PICKING AT NO.24!!!!!!!!!
jojo sunshine
June 24th, 2010
11:48 am
The hawks already dropped out of playoff contention by hiring Larry Drew. We will not get any free agents because they all want to play for a proven coach – which means where eer Phil goes or Miami where Pat is about to take back over. Our selection at 24 has no bearing on the season. We will never get anywhere with this group of owners and this management and this coach. I am finished hoping. I wish Ted would by the hawks back and hire me to manage the team and the trades. I would do it for 100 grand a year and then we could use that money to pay the best coaches and the best talent and make Atlanta the best city in America. Oh well, it is not going to happen. Pick 24 sucks and the Atlanta Hawks will lose Joe Johnson and get nothing in return. We will then be taken apart player by player and go through the losing again for another 10-12 years. I miss nique. Dang I miss Jon Konkak and Randy Whitman. I miss Doc Rivers.
Oh Well.
BamaFan
June 24th, 2010
12:33 pm
Why do I see no centers on that list? We are worried about the wrong thing. Let Joe go, get a quality guard for trade and draft a center or vice versa.
Hawks' Nest Monsta
June 24th, 2010
5:30 pm
This Joe / J-chill situation is really hurting us. I’d much rather have chill back and joe gone, so we can have our young team back. Childress brings energy (which we need), and his fro is awesome. and he’s undervalued, so we probably won’t benefit as much from a trade. imagine: teague, chill, marvin, smoov, horford. some of yall need to stop hating on marvin, because you clearly don’t realize how crucial his defense is, not to mention he’s by far the most disciplined player on the team. His stats do not reflect his value…
But I digress.
Drafting a two-guard could be useful because we may not have joe or chill (and mo is getting old). But we could really use a good backup for josh, someone athletic and explosive.
A center (and by center, i mean 7-footer) might be awesome as well, but i’m not sure how the lineup would look. It could let horford go to the 4, smoov at the 3 (marvin on bench?), someone (jamal?) at 2, and teague at point. i’m just concerned about the defensive matchups, but if j-smoov steps up and horford boxes out, we should be fine.