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
bigdave
June 28th, 2012
8:43 pm
metro atlanta product
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:43 pm
Phoenix missed out on all the good sg’s.
Luke Cage
June 28th, 2012
8:44 pm
I wish we could get Martin, dude lives at the FT line.
hawksfancents95
June 28th, 2012
8:45 pm
PHX gets henson as a good bench guy for gortat and morris.
if yall look there is really no guards left besides marshall and teague for the 1st round.
there is a lot of bigs in this draft, i didnt take notice of that before the draft started
Buddy Grizzard
June 28th, 2012
8:45 pm
Reaches on Waiters, Lillard and Ross are pushing some nice players deep in this lottery. This really is a deep draft.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:45 pm
Hoping Harkless drops to us but I think Houston will take him
Ra'mon
June 28th, 2012
8:46 pm
I’m really hoping Moultrie falls to the Hawks.
HawkKingBibby
June 28th, 2012
8:47 pm
This is the worst draft telecast Ive ever seen. Chris Broussard? seriously Where are the TNT guys, dam espn
Ray
June 28th, 2012
8:47 pm
Got to agree with Draftexpress
Draft really doesn’t make much sense From #2 on down even Golden St. of all people picking Barnes.
Most shocking is Deion Waiters climbing to #4 for me and Drummond falling to at least #9.
But I know Cleveland need a SG to put beside Kyrie so in a way it makes sense.
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
8:47 pm
Outside of the 1st and 3rd picks, I think most mock drafts were way off up to this point….
Hopefully Perry Jones III will be available at 23….:-)
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:47 pm
I can see Philly taking Moultrie
Shamrock
June 28th, 2012
8:47 pm
Really hope Najeh Davenpoop falls off the face of the Earth. In other news, my Celtics have number 21 and 22 Hawks fans
Buddy Grizzard
June 28th, 2012
8:47 pm
Yeah Broussard is really bad… he’s a good NBA writer but he needs to stay away from a microphone.
DP
June 28th, 2012
8:48 pm
Ra’Mon, 6′5 205 is small for an NBA 2 these days, particularly for one who isn’t a pure shooter and relies on taking the ball to the basket. Rivers didn’t appear to be much of a defensive player in his year at Duke.
HawkKingBibby
June 28th, 2012
8:48 pm
I think the 76ers want him
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:48 pm
Not a bad choice at all. Great passer
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
8:48 pm
Marshall to the Suns, say good bye to Nash in PHX
hawksfancents95
June 28th, 2012
8:49 pm
@hawkkingbiby this is all business, tnt crew would be way off topic or talkin some bs not related to anything. tnt is better before games than a whole draft.
phox must know nash is gone
DP
June 28th, 2012
8:49 pm
Kendall Marshall ahead of Tyler Zeller? You’ve got to be kidding.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:49 pm
If the Bucks take Zeller their fans will have a meltdown. They do not want him at all lol
Just Joe
June 28th, 2012
8:49 pm
This should bring Teague up in front of us and force one of the more talented forwards down to us at 23.
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
8:50 pm
Najeh,
What have you done to Shamrock. Dude be riding you more than ……….
Buddy Grizzard
June 28th, 2012
8:50 pm
Kendall Marshall was worse than a lot of big men in the lane agility drill at the combine. This guy does not have the foot speed to guard NBA point guards. He will play in the league for a long time, but he will probably always be a defensive liability.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:50 pm
When TNT had Hubbie Brown covering the draft it was great.
Ray
June 28th, 2012
8:50 pm
Bucks going Center people and it will be Tyler Zeller again this is just me saying that here not Yahoo or anything else.
They lost Bogut will need another C.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
8:50 pm
Marshall is a nice pick for them, but really other than him and Gortat, they need to clean house if Nash is gone.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:51 pm
The Jones’s might be the guys falling.
Buddy Grizzard
June 28th, 2012
8:51 pm
JVG funny as hell though.
Ra'mon
June 28th, 2012
8:51 pm
DP, Wade, Beal, Gordon, Mayo, Louis Williams, Rip Hamilton, Ray Allen, Ellis, and so many more SG’s aren’t 6′5. And you know he’s going to put on weight, so that’s not the issue. He is a very good size for a 2 guard.
Ray
June 28th, 2012
8:52 pm
Well John Henson and Tyler Zeller have both fallen which means other players are also falling cause some have risen up in the draft.
Like Moe Harkless could have fallen.
hawksfancents95
June 28th, 2012
8:52 pm
MIL will get henson, i know ekpe and larry sanders come off the bench and they just got dalembert. they do need a 3 but idk anyone worth taking at #14. they should draft henson and trade him to someone for a couple picks.
Luke Cage
June 28th, 2012
8:52 pm
Maybe NBA TV should broadcast the draft from here on, Bilas sux, Brussard seems out of his element, only JVG is the guy actually bringing anything to the table.
Ray
June 28th, 2012
8:52 pm
Well a North Carolina player will be selected with pick 14 but which one?????
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
8:53 pm
Deep front court for Milwaukee now, which means Ersan Ilyasova will change teams in free agency. Whoever gets him is getting a steal.
Luke Cage
June 28th, 2012
8:53 pm
Henson = Bust
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:53 pm
Zeller is really falling. Henson and Dalembert will be blocking a lot of shots
Ra'mon
June 28th, 2012
8:53 pm
Philly will take Terrence Jones or Zeller.
Ray
June 28th, 2012
8:54 pm
Okay Sixers aren’t taking Zeller seeing as they got Hawes so I see Rockets taking Zeller.
Anwar sadat
June 28th, 2012
8:54 pm
Perry Jones 3, moe harkless, or Royce white, any one at 23
Melvin
June 28th, 2012
8:54 pm
I wonder if the Henson will report to the Bucks? Seems like every draft prospect refused to workout for the Bucks….LOL
Luke Cage
June 28th, 2012
8:54 pm
Same build as Keith Benson basically
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
8:54 pm
Bilas wouldn’t suck so bad if he threw some Young Jeezy lines into his commentary like he does on Twitter.
hawksfancents95
June 28th, 2012
8:54 pm
PHilly will take terrence or perry jones right here no doubt.
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:54 pm
I see Houston taking Harkless. I dont think he slides past them..
Luke Cage
June 28th, 2012
8:55 pm
Hawes is a free agent I think.
Shamrock
June 28th, 2012
8:55 pm
Najeh=Bust
The Real cp
June 28th, 2012
8:55 pm
I see Philly taking Moultrie or one of the Jones boys
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2012
8:56 pm
Lamar Odom to the Clippers, Mo Williams to Utah.
Just Joe
June 28th, 2012
8:56 pm
Hawes is a free agent along with Allen. I think Philly goes with Zeller.
Anwar sadat
June 28th, 2012
8:57 pm
Hawes would be a good fit next to Birdies, if Detroit let’s him go, and we kind find the money(lol)