The Atlanta Hawks May Have Won More Than Just The 2024 NBA Draft Lottery

The Atlanta Hawks landed the top overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, presumably picking Frenchman Alexandre Sarr.

But their lottery signals more than just winning the right to select first. It may help them prevent disaster in 2025, where their unprotected first-rounder is going to San Antonio.

By selecting Sarr, or whoever they go with, you'd have to assume the Hawks are looking to add wins to their record next year, drastically minimizing their chance of winning the lottery, and being forced to fork over superstar prospect Cooper Flagg.

For a team with just a 3% chance of winning the whole shebang, and who found themselves in the NBA Play-In Tournament just last month, it would appear unlikely that the Hawks find themselves in the dark depths of the lottery next season.

Of course, never say never. Stranger things have happened, and if Atlanta truly wants to get out ahead of it, to prevent giving up Flagg, they could offer the Spurs the number one overall pick for the rights to their pick back next summer.

(Are the Spurs willing to accept such a deal? Probably not, but it's worth an inquiry.) 

Regardless, this is good news for the Hawks on more fronts than just one. Now attention shifts to figuring out which center they'll offload this summer, assuming they're going Sarr at number one.

It would seem unlikely for the franchise to enter 2024-2025 with all three of Sarr, Onyeka Okongwu, and Clint Capela on the roster. 

If the Hawks end up with a franchise big man, and avoid handing over Flagg next year, it'll be nothing short of immense for the organization.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

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