The Thunder want to package picks No. 12 and 17 to move up. If Mikel Brown Jr. is gone, the Atlanta Hawks should consider trading down from No. 8 to add young depth.
Every team in the NBA would trade places with either of the teams that just met in the Western Conference Finals.
The Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, which is all you need to know. The Thunder have an elite roster and a surplus of future first-round picks to boot.
If anything, the Thunder have too many picks. It's the definition of a rich person's problem, but it could still create challenges for them. It's part of why they're allegedly interested in moving up in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Thunder would like to package the 12th and 17th picks for a higher selection.
The Atlanta Hawks should consider indulging them.
Hawks in prime position to trade down in draft
That said, it depends on how the Hawks feel about the 8th overall spot. It's not a prime position. The best prospects in the class will be off the board. It's widely believed that the Hawks will be choosing between guard Kingston Flemings or big man Aday Mara.
Mara feels like the lynchpin here. At 7'3" with surprising mobility and passing skills, he's got a high ceiling. Some critics would argue that his floor is low as a non-shooting big man who likely can't guard the perimeter. Flemings is a high-floor prospect who will shoot and defend at the NBA level.
There's also a chance that 6'5" playmaker Mikel Brown Jr. will be on the board. That should change Atlanta's entire calculus. Let's assume he isn't:
Suddenly, trading down looks pretty appealing.
Hawks can add a high volume of young players
For what it's worth, the Hawks have their franchise player. The Hawks now have an imperative to build the right team around Jalen Johnson.
From that perspective, it could be smarter to take more bites at the apple. If the Hawks needed their North Star, they'd prioritize high picks. If the front office agrees that they mostly need solid rotation pieces, quantity might be more important than quality.
The Hawks could add a range of intriguing young players. Yaxel Lendeborg and/or Nate Ament should still be on the board at 12. They're both the types of long, versatile wings that every NBA team covets. At 17, they could grab a similar prospect in Morez Johnson Jr.
This isn't a surefire move. If the Hawks love one of Flemings or Mara, or would even stick at 8th to take someone unexpected rather than risk losing them by 12th, that's fine. That said, if they're a bit more open-minded about the prospects in the 8th to 17th range, trading with the Thunder could allow them to grab an extra prospect that they like:
Which could get them a bit closer to their Western Conference rivals.
Hawks Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Hawks. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
