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
hawks_4_life
June 28th, 2012
10:49 pm
People lets be realistic, Ferry was hired a few days prior to the draft, what did you expect. I really didn’t think much would happen this year just based on that.
crawdiddy72
June 28th, 2012
10:50 pm
jenkins looks like he could start from day one. who you want to have at the 2 him or kirk hinrich
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:50 pm
Melvin, again, Presti can send that kid to rehab for a year and not worry about having his 1st round pick on the shelf. Hawks can’t do that.
Shamrock
June 28th, 2012
10:50 pm
And I would be fine if Najeh addressed me and stopped runnin away like a little #####
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:51 pm
cp, still there? I’m wondering is Ferry was scouting Henry Sims as a late 2nd round selection for the Spurs?
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
10:52 pm
Yea im here hoping Q Miller is there when the Hawks pick.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
10:53 pm
The Kings just drafted a guy named Orlando and traded him to… Orlando.
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:53 pm
And Quincy Miller’s knee must be REALLY bad. They’re choosing a different Quincy from Baylor.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
10:53 pm
Dang Q Miller has really dropped in this draft. I like Acy. Dude finishes at the rim with a purpose
richy
June 28th, 2012
10:53 pm
Quincy Acy would have been a nice pick for the hawks
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
10:54 pm
I wonder if the Hawks will take Tornike Shengelia. Wonder how much influence Zaza has in the draft room.
Quincy Acy is going to be pretty good for a second rounder.
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
10:54 pm
OB,
I totally Co-Sign Mark Bradley take on the Hawks draft…. Perry Jones would had to prove me wrong. Too much upside for a guy at 23.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
10:54 pm
Well there goes Miller smdh
DAMN
June 28th, 2012
10:55 pm
WE NEED TO SIGN ROY HIBBERT!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
10:55 pm
And there goes the other Quincy.
Of NBADraft.net’s first round projections, Doron Lamb and Will Barton are still on the board.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
10:55 pm
Well maybe we can get Will Barton smh
O'Brien
June 28th, 2012
10:56 pm
Sims for the Hawks next pick? I would be ok with that…
Jaded Hawks Fan
June 28th, 2012
10:57 pm
I’ll either laugh or cry if Lamb is still there at 43. Maybe both.
Buddy Grizzard
June 28th, 2012
10:57 pm
“Instead the Hawks settled for making a fairly safe Round 1 pick: John Jenkins of Vanderbilt. He’s a great shooter, which isn’t the same as being a great player. Given time, Jenkins could become the new Jamal Crawford – an off-the-bench scorer who can change games. Nobody should be disappointed by this pick.”
SAFE PICK???!!!! IS BRADLY SMOKING CRACK?????? COULD BECOME A NEW JAMAL CRAWFORD???? CRAWFORD IS AN NBA ATHLETE, JENKINS WILL NEVER BE AN NBA ATHLETE. WHY DOES BRADLEY EVEN TALK ABOUT BASKETBALL????????????
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
10:57 pm
There goes Quincy…. I would take Hollis, Joseph, or Darius Miller
prison mike
June 28th, 2012
10:57 pm
Will Barton still out there, already would be better than Duck.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
10:58 pm
Tyshawn Taylor is also still on the board.
SuckerFree
June 28th, 2012
10:58 pm
John Jenkins is not a better shooter than Joe Johnson. Joe Johnson is wet and is clutch but the Hawks don’t get a bunch of transition 3s, don’t run him off curls and picks often enough.
(This is by no means an endorsement for Joe Johnson…it just is what it is).
Don’t overrate John Jenkins. He’s alright….but Perry Jones is the better player even if he’s injured. And YES you take another swing forward because Josh Smith is as good as gone and Marvin Williams gives you virtually nothing.
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
10:58 pm
Oh I forgot about Barton. I would take him as well…
Just Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:58 pm
Drew Gordon is arguably the second best rebounder in college.
Doron Lamb would be a great combo-guard pick.
Kyle O’Quinn is 6′10″ with a 7′5″ wingspan. Big time shot blocker.
Darius Miller is the best SF left.
LD loves Mike Scott’s mid-range jumper.
EW
June 28th, 2012
10:59 pm
Cal Bowdler – First round 17th pick 1999
Sautee
June 28th, 2012
10:59 pm
D. Miller could be the perimeter defender we need.
PMC
June 28th, 2012
10:59 pm
seems like the Pacers are bound and determined to get every white guy available.
EW
June 28th, 2012
11:00 pm
Roshown McCloud – first round 20th pick 1998
prison mike
June 28th, 2012
11:00 pm
Barton has a 6-10 wingspan, more than enough to play the 3.
richy
June 28th, 2012
11:00 pm
Interesting to see how many ppl that have lobbied so hard for perry jones actually ever saw him play in college
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
11:00 pm
New Hawks GM Danny Ferry did well here, grabbing a player in Jenkins who is viewed by some as the best shooter in the draft. He reminds me of Klay Thompson, the former Washington State shooting guard who had a very good year with Golden State last season. Jenkins averaged 19.9 points and shot 43.9 percent from three-point range as a junior, and 8.7 of his 13.1 field-goal attempts were from long range.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/draft-2012/tracker/draft_analysis/index.html#ixzz1z9D095kh
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
11:00 pm
Jenkins may be an okay player but he seem to have no upside. I think the Hawks could easily find a player like Jenkins in FA or the 2nd round. Hawks needed to make a bold move by picking the best player available PJ3 or Moultrie…
ghost of Cal Bowdler
June 28th, 2012
11:00 pm
Alan Henderson just called and said he’s getting this year’s bad picks alumni game together. If anyone has numbers for the following guys, I’d be grateful if you could pass them along:
Priest Lauderdale
Shelden Williams
Rumeal Robinson
Adam Keefe
Ed Gray
Doug Edwards
DerMarr Johnson
Anthony Avent
Dion Glover
Roshown McLeod
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
11:00 pm
There goes Barton.
EW
June 28th, 2012
11:01 pm
Priest Lauderdale – First round 28th pick – 1996
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
And there goes Taylor.
Lamb still on the board 2 picks away from the Hawks.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
Well no Barton smh
hawksfancents95
June 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
tyshaun taylor is a good backup PG and that can play with teague and should get some good minutes. dmiller is the guy if taylor is off the board
Jimmy Crack
June 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
We got the highest percentage mid-range shooter available.
Now pick the tallest human on the planet and we’ll call it a night.
SuckerFree
June 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
lmao…The Hawks are a joke
EW
June 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
John Koncak – First round – 5th pick – 1985
prison mike
June 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
Please take O’quinn, need some length inside.
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
11:03 pm
Give me Kyle O’Quinn.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
11:03 pm
Other than Lamb, the highest NBADraft.net mock draft players available are Furkan Aldemir, Kim English, and Darius Miller.
30311
June 28th, 2012
11:03 pm
Watch the Hawks fug this pick up. This pick will be a throw away pick and will never see the light of day. Think Keith Benson.
DAMN
June 28th, 2012
11:03 pm
Brandon Rush/ a good NBA player, Just said Jenkins was going to be a problem….Thants good news
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
11:03 pm
Yea if Lamb is there at 43 then taking Jenkins at 23 makes even less sense. You take Moultrie at 23 and Lamb at 43 smh.
SuckerFree
June 28th, 2012
11:04 pm
Klay Thompson is like 6′8 though and played in Golden State where they jack it up
hawksfancents95
June 28th, 2012
11:04 pm
tyshawn*
goes back home to the new york/jersey area with the brooklyn nets, thats cool.
we need that last piece of the kentucky national championship in darius miller