Rumors indicate that the Atlanta Hawks are seeking to move the 23rd pick. What kind of player should they target?
For some time, it's been assumed that the Atlanta Hawks would make two selections in the 2026 NBA Draft. They own the No. 8 and No. 23 overall picks. Now, the rumors are suggesting that they may not use both.
Atlanta will keep the No. 8 pick in almost every scenario. That remains a foregone conclusion. The rumors suggest that they could shop the No. 23 overall selection.
That makes sense. The Hawks are a win-now squad. They may not want to bring two rookies into the fold ahead of 2026-27. So, they could trade the pick. What should they want for it?
The Hawks will have options with the No. 23 pick
There are a handful of paths the Hawks could take here.
They could aggregate the pick into a larger package for a star player. Anyone should understand that the No. 23 pick won't anchor a blockbuster offer. If the Hawks were to use this pick to broker a deal for, say, Jaylen Brown, they would have to include that No. 8 pick, as well as another future pick or two, and some of their young players.
Alternatively, they could look to move it for future draft capital. If a team likes a particular prospect and is looking to buy into the first round, they might give up a future lottery-protected first for the No. 23 selection. That feels like a strong option, although if the Hawks have trepidation about adding young players, they'd merely be kicking the can down the road with a move like this one.
Thirdly, they could move the pick for a rotation-ready veteran. The Hawks won't land a star with the No. 23 pick alone, but they could add a solid player who'd make them better in 2026-27.
Is that the best decision they could make?
Hawks could improve roster with No. 23 pick
Arguably, the best option is to simply use the pick. That would allow the Hawks to add a cost-controlled young player. Who knows? That player could be a contributor, either this year or next.
Still, if they're set on moving the pick, the most prudent move would be to target a solid, useful veteran. If they draft a guard with the No. 8 pick, they should be targeting a reliable backup big man with the No. 23 pick.
Ultimately, acquiring a player like Jaylen Brown at the expense of their future would be shortsighted. Acquiring future draft capital is smart from an asset collection perspective, but it should be noted that they'll still run into the same problem in doing so. If the Hawks don't want too many young players, they should move this pick for a reliable veteran.
At least they'd still be adding an exciting young player with their other pick.
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