Atlanta Hawks Won't Skip Steps Entering NBA Draft, Onsi Saleh Says

The Atlanta Hawks will not skip steps as they enter the 2026 NBA Draft, president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh said Monday, a day before a draft in which Atlanta holds three picks.

The Hawks own the Nos. 8, 23 and 57 selections Tuesday, and Saleh said the front office is settled on its board and comfortable with where the team stands.

"We're super excited. We've been waiting for this for a while. I think we've watched enough film to make a really good decision [Tuesday]. We did all the intel, a couple decisions to make [Tuesday], but we're really excited about adding a couple guys and see how the process goes," Saleh said.

"But like we said before, no skipping steps. [We] want to grow this thing out organically, and I just feel like we're going to add two really good players [Tuesday] in the draft."

Saleh said the Hawks will take the best player available regardless of position with their first-round picks.

"It's always going to be best player available for us. It doesn't matter what position. It could be [a] big, [a] guard. It could be wing. If that's the best player we think is there at that position in the draft, great; we're going to take them," Saleh said. "But, yeah, I think we could get better in different areas, for sure, and we got some things we got to figure out with a roster, but we do have a lot of flexibility."

He said the team would resist the urge to fix everything at once.

"I think one thing is, trying to solve all your problems at once, too, can get a little dangerous. That's when you make mistakes," Saleh said. "So, we have a pretty good process here, and we just want to make sure we stick with that as we move forward. And so far, so good. We feel good about what's coming ahead, and we want to make the team better."

Saleh said the board is finalized at the top.

"We're locked and loaded. I don't think anybody's moving around anymore. I think that's bad process if you're moving around this late," he said. "So we're at the point where we're good with pick 8 and 23. So we feel really good about that. And then pick 57, we got to still dig into some stuff there, different options, but feel really good about the draft. And, honestly, if it were today, I'd be happy for it."

The availability came days after Atlanta extended guard CJ McCollum on a one-year, $21 million deal that keeps him out of free agency.

"We're super excited to have CJ back here. It brings that continuity together," Saleh said. "Basically put this team together in 2½ months, and to have a training camp with your core guys, that's important. That's important for the next step and iteration of this team and development of our guys."

McCollum was acquired from the Washington Wizards in January, along with Corey Kispert, in the trade that sent Trae Young to Washington. He helped Atlanta finish 46-36 and earn the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference before the Hawks lost to the eventual champion New York Knicks in six games.

Saleh said continuity is the trait he sees most often in recent NBA champions.

"They're all different, but they all seem to have a good sense of continuity amongst them, like the Knicks," he said. "I know how they built their team was through a lot of their trades and stuff like that, but a lot of their guys have known each other since college, and they played together for a while now. I think the continuity in chemistry is at an all-time high in the NBA, like you see that with OKC [Oklahoma City], San Antonio."

The Hawks return a core headlined by first-time All-Star Jalen Johnson and including Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher and Kispert. Atlanta also acquired guard Aaron Wiggins from Oklahoma City over the weekend for two future second-round picks.

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