Atlanta Hawks: NBA draft open thread
Update: The Hawks selected Vanderbilt junior guard John Jenkins with the No. 23 overall pick. The Hawks had two workout sessions at Philips Arena with Jenkins, who was the top perimeter shooter in NCAA Division I last season.
Update: The Hawks selected Virginia forward Mike Scott with the No. 43 overall pick.
There has seemed to be a subtle shift in comments by Hawks folks since Danny Ferry came on board.
Before there was lots of talk about possibly selecting a player who could join the rotation right away. Now there seemed to be more of a focus on drafting the best talent, regardless of that player’s immediate readiness.
“The ‘best player’ scenario probably fits us the best right now,” Hawks assistant manager Dave Pendergraft said.
That’s not to suggest that the Hawks weren’t considering a long-term prospect before (and, really, most of the players available late in the first round fit that bill). It’s just that Ferry and co-owner Bruce Levenson both have stressed long-term player development and so it follows that’s the organization’s message.
Ferry was still getting his legs when he talked to media Monday and so didn’t have a lot to say about his draft strategy. The team’s PR staff hasn’t made him available for interviews since then. Ferry did talk to the team’s Web site today and addressed the possibility of making a trade.
“Will something happen? I’m not sure that it will, and we will probably be picking 23,” Ferry said. “There is still a long time before we have to pick so we’ll see what happens.”
Ferry said there is a lot of trade talk centered on draft picks in general but said: “We are not going to make a trade just to make a trade.”
“We’ll be a part of some of those talks,” Ferry said. “Maybe we can add a piece or do something.”
Both Pendergraft and Larry Drew said there haven’t been any issues with Ferry joining the staff so late in the process.
“He’s been following all of the draft stuff and he knows these guys really well,” Drew said. “Our format in which we do things, it’s been pretty much the same that it’s been. These guys that have been at the forefront of the draft, Rick [Sund], Dave, our scouts–it’s been, to me, a very smooth transition thus far. Everybody is giving their opinions and thoughts and everyone is trying obviously to find the best player available for us at that pick.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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1,051 comments Add your comment
FreshmakerGT
June 28th, 2012
10:12 pm
You guys crack me up. That was a fantastic pick. If Melo was there we would’ve taken him but he went the pick before. This kid’ll be a good replacement for Kirk. No use reaching for any of the “bigs” left, so we’ll grab one with 43.
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:12 pm
Funny, “can’t have too many shooters”. Who does LD think that is on the team that is a Jenkins like shooter? osh Smith???????
Luke Cage
June 28th, 2012
10:12 pm
I’m rooting for JJ2, the rest of you guys, just keep doing what you always do best, complain!
Shamrock
June 28th, 2012
10:12 pm
Brian, finally someone on this blog agrees, Najeh can kick some HUGE rocks and fall down a flight of stairs. A shoein for worst blogger of the year.
hawksfancents95
June 28th, 2012
10:13 pm
najeh Dan Reeves got us to the superbowl in 1999 and went 14-2
pj3 to okc = too much length would be a good fit
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:13 pm
Melvin, maybe PJ3 wore flip-flops to a workout.
High-sider
June 28th, 2012
10:13 pm
I forgot about Jason Collins; his (first) name starts with a “J.” (SMH)
rob
June 28th, 2012
10:13 pm
where is Moultrie gonig?
GT Alum
June 28th, 2012
10:13 pm
So, Heat just took Moultrie, and PJ3 is still out there. Like Astro Joe said, there’s got to be issues there we don’t know the full extent of.
Slimjr
June 28th, 2012
10:13 pm
42-70? At least we look good shooting the ball right Larry? Wow
richy
June 28th, 2012
10:14 pm
Yall actin like we picked Pape Sy. This isnt a horrible pic. Just not what the Hawks needed.
Just Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:14 pm
Will Chicago take Teague with Rose hurt?
Jaded Hawks Fan
June 28th, 2012
10:14 pm
If you want to see the difference between the Thunder and the Hawks, just observe this draft.
Wabe
June 28th, 2012
10:14 pm
we traded another SG (jordan crawford) + draft pick for SG Kirk Hinrich…
Kirk Hinrich played out his contract…
And now we go shopping for his replacement?
No long-term thought behind these moves, so it’s hard for me to believe this one will ‘pan out in the long run’…
DAMN
June 28th, 2012
10:14 pm
Sign Roy Hibbert
1.Teague
2.Jenkins
3.Smith
4.Horford
5.Hibbert
Bench
Johnson
Zaza
Ivan.Johnson
PG Free agent
Williams
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
10:14 pm
I think I missed the Pacers taking Plumlee. Apparently they are not going to let the Timberwolves steal the white guy crown from them.
TMACfan
June 28th, 2012
10:15 pm
“can’t have too many shooters”.
That’s why LARRY DREW let’s Josh Smith shoot so many jumpers… WOW
BigTimeTECHFan
June 28th, 2012
10:15 pm
great pick I like it.
High-sider
June 28th, 2012
10:15 pm
When it comes to Hawks players, it’s all about the “J”’s, all about the “J”’s. (SMH)
Slimjr
June 28th, 2012
10:15 pm
OKC took PERRY! Wow
Wabe
June 28th, 2012
10:15 pm
lol I’ll trust OKC’s GM >>>>>>>>>>>>> every other GM in the league…
Spud
June 28th, 2012
10:15 pm
OKC my new team.
Brian
June 28th, 2012
10:15 pm
Davinpoop there is a reason your sitting at home right now alone. Your bitter and you have no team to follow. If you did you would be on their website
richy
June 28th, 2012
10:15 pm
There is a reason PJ3 is still on the board. Poor work ethic, takes too many jumpers when he could use his superb athleticism to get to the rim (golly gee ever heard that one before????) bad coaching in college. Needs to get on a team with a veteran big that is a good leader.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
10:16 pm
OKC with a steal. Thats how you draft
rob
June 28th, 2012
10:16 pm
OKC getting even more interesting.
falCans
June 28th, 2012
10:16 pm
we dont need a forward lol we have 3 starting forwards!! We def needed a real shooter tho
Brian
June 28th, 2012
10:16 pm
funny how Perry was invited but Rivers was not to the draft
Slimjr
June 28th, 2012
10:17 pm
A steal for OKC is on the money!
richy
June 28th, 2012
10:17 pm
got picked as i posted that but theory still applys
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:17 pm
Well, PJ3 won’t get to play much at SF with the Thunder.
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
10:17 pm
Im so Glad PJ3 is going to OKC b/c I like them as well…. Whew, glad he didnt go to the Heat.
Marcus
June 28th, 2012
10:17 pm
Hindsight/read the tea leaves:
Prospect Preview: John Jenkins
http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2012/06/20/atlanta-hawks-prospect-focus-vanderbilts-john-jenkins/
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
10:17 pm
Looks like Q Miller has really dropped. Hawks find a way to get this guy.
hawksfancents95
June 28th, 2012
10:17 pm
plumlee backing up hibbert especially with hansbrough is going to be a great frontcourt rotation.
wow pj3 highlight looked great, i hope his knee is ok and okc just keeps making the right picks it seems
High-sider
June 28th, 2012
10:18 pm
@Sautee
Quit askin’ me that dumb a-s question. If you can’t find the posts, then that’s on you. Hell, I’m looking right at it.
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
10:18 pm
Astro,
Do you think Presti and Riley don’t know what they are doing?
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
10:18 pm
Lamb might be there in the second and I think he is a better player than Jenkins.
Rod from College Park
June 28th, 2012
10:18 pm
Marvin can shoot, Pargo can shoot, Willie Green can shoot. Horrible pick. Oklahoma City and Miami draft front court players, we draft a shooter. SMH
Section 303
June 28th, 2012
10:18 pm
Was I the only one who saw Zaza sitting in the stands when Perry Jones III was picked?
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:19 pm
PJ3 may go on that Anthony Randolph plan… won’t see him for another 3-4 years.
John
June 28th, 2012
10:19 pm
Im happy with Jenkins, now lets just hope Festus Ezeli drops to us at 43 (though I highly doubt it)
Wabe
June 28th, 2012
10:19 pm
We needed a shooter? What was Kirk Hinrich supposed to be?
We traded another gaurd we drafted a couple years ago + another 1st rounder to snag Hinrich…
We end up sitting on his deal at the trade deadline…
And now they’re just letting the dude walk?
it’s not just the pick, it’s the way the hawks organization operates. No long-term planning, short-sighted decisions, poor asset-management.
CP
June 28th, 2012
10:19 pm
@the real CP. You are clearly the main Cp on the AJC blogs. I used to use stoopid made up names and decided just use cp. So I’m not trying to be you. (I’ve had it since ‘63 though, You?)
So long Willie Green, we hardly knew ya…
Section 303
June 28th, 2012
10:19 pm
Rod, decent chance all three of those guys (Marvin, Pargo, Willie) are not on the team next season.
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
10:20 pm
Hawks are probably the shortest team in the league and they pick an undersize SG that can’t create his own shot. Just Brilliant.
Danny Ferry, he worked in the Spurs organization
June 28th, 2012
10:20 pm
Hooray! Just what this team needs, another jump shooter!
Fab Melo was the stead of the draft one spot above where we picked and we couldn’t be bothered to move up to get him. Not only is he a steal but he would have allowed us to easily get rid of JSmoove.
But oh well, Ferry was probably busy tonight talking to Levenson about hiring a new nutritionist.
Sautee
June 28th, 2012
10:20 pm
High-Sider,
I’ll try yet again:
Are you running away from answering the question? You gave me a link, and said look at your comment after my 10:21 post. Your next post was to O’Brien responding to JC1 info, and NOT anything to do with Danny Ferry. The OTHER post you point me to does not exist. You said it was at 12:01 am on 6/28/12, but there’s no post there.
So I ask again about this quote:
“GM Ferry will move a good player with some attitude issues like Josh Smith but will look to keep an overrated, mediocre player like Kirk Hinrich.” – High-Sider
What are you basing this accusation on?
joey1
June 28th, 2012
10:20 pm
i think j. jenkins was a great pick..he is a deadly shooter…which the hawks dont have any ..may j.johnson,, we can probaly draft ezeli in the 2nd
richy
June 28th, 2012
10:20 pm
Pargo and green are FA and Marvin didnt start consistently shooting till last season, Draft Jenkins = not needing to resign one or both of those dudes.