2026 NBA Draft Needs: Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have completely pivoted from Trae Young to Jalen Johnson. Normally, when a team changes its franchise centerpiece, it takes time to rebuild. However, moving a few large contracts can free up money to add to their core group of players. They have a mix of young and veteran talent, and with a key piece from the draft, they could make it back to the playoffs this coming year.

State of the Team

Retooling: Hoping for internal growth

Positional Strengths & Weaknesses

Guards:

The Hawks’ guard corps is Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels

Nickeil Alexander-Walker can play on the wing, but with the Hawks this past season, he was a full-time guard. He primarily filled in at shooting guard, but 33% of his minutes were spent at point guard. Alexander-Walker won Most Improved Player this past season and is a borderline All-Star two-way guard. Dyson Daniels is a Swiss Army knife defender. He can defend one through four, and while he struggles from three, he is a great rebounder and playmaker. He won’t raise the offensive ceiling, but his consistent 10 to 15 points per night are great value.

Wings/Forwards:

The Hawks’ wing and forward corps is Jalen Johnson, Jonathan Kuminga, Zaccharie Risacher, Buddy Hield, and Asa Newell.

Jalen Johnson broke out last year and made the All-NBA Third Team. He is a passing, rebounding, defending, do-it-all forward. Having taken over as the primary star on the Hawks, Johnson can certainly lead a playoff team. The Hawks will need to find out if he can lead a team built around him.

Jonathan Kuminga is a volume-scoring forward who joined the Hawks in a trade this past season. His efficiency is barely above league average, but when he has a hot shooting night, he’s on a true burner. He could be a sixth man or lower-tier starter. The former first overall pick of 2024, Zaccharie Risacher, saw his numbers dip from his rookie year to his sophomore season. Losing minutes to veterans can hurt any prospect’s confidence and development. At a minimum, Risacher’s defensive improvement and steady offense make him a rotation wing. He is 21, so the Hawks shouldn’t give up on him.

Threeball legend Buddy Hield also came over in the Kuminga trade and can be a low-minutes shooting specialist. Rookie Asa Newell rounds out the corps. He has been up-and-down between the main roster and G League affiliate. He will struggle to get minutes in a clogged forward room, but if Kuminga or Risacher go down injured, he can step up.

Bigs:

The Hawks’ big corps is Onyeka Okongwu

Onyeka Okongwu is an undersized big man. On his best nights, he can be a top-ten center, but on most nights, he is an average starting center with an ascending threeball and defensive versatility.

Draft Needs:

The Hawks have willing passers up and down the roster, but with Trae Young being traded and CJ McCollum entering free agency, The Hawks lack a true point guard. Alexander-Walker did spend time at the position, but he lacks the playmaking to take on those duties full-time. Additionally, the Hawks need center depth behind Okongwu.

Prospects that Fit:

The Hawks have the 8th, 23rd, and 57th overall picks

Mikel Brown Jr. (PG/Guard, Louisville)

Mikel Brown Jr. is an incredible point guard out of Louisville. He has an excellent deep-range threeball, good assist numbers, and a mirror-finish handle. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, he has the physical tools to be an all-around point guard in the NBA. The concern for him is his lingering back issues that limited him to 21 games.

Brown has a mix of strong indicators and red flags in his single season in college. His handle isn’t in question, but his shot selection and threeball are. His 57.7% true shooting percentage, 34.4% from three on 7.6 attempts a night, and 50.4% on twos make him look like a borderline efficient scorer. However, the true story is he suffered from streaky play. He had five games in single digits and didn’t have more because consistent, steady free-throw shooting saved him. Brown’s back and shot selection need work. But when he’s on, he scores 45 points against NC State, 29 on Baylor, and 29 on SMU in the same week from February 7th to 14th.

Defensively, he has the length, active hands, and motor to be a plus team defender, but won’t be known for his defense. On the Hawks, with their versatile, switchable defenders, he could slot in as a contributor and not be pressured to do more than he is capable of. He will still need to add strength to his frame in order to not be matchup-hunted in the playoffs, but this can go hand-in-hand with building up his back and getting it healthy in the weight room with world-class trainers.

The Hawks need a primary ball-handler, and while Brown has question marks, there appears to be a clear path to resolving them. His 1.52 assists-to-turnover ratio, 4.7 assists to 3.1 turnovers, is below average, but Louisville held him at a 31.4% usage rate. With NBA teammates who can take on passing, shot-making, and defensive duties when needed, Brown should be in the best position to reach his potential. And his potential is an All-Star point guard, floor-stretching shooter, and pesky defender ready to dish to teammates in the half-court and on the fast break.

Aday Mara (C/Big, Michigan)

If the Hawks feel comfortable getting a point guard in free agency or Nickeil Alexander-Walker can take over the role, Aday Mara out of national champion Michigan would be the clear choice to make at eighth overall. At 7-foot-3, 260 pounds, with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, Mara is a giant on the court. He is a premier rim protector and inside scorer. He would give the Hawks a versatile big man rotation with both a traditional bruising big in Mara and a new-age small-ball big in Okongwu.

Mara is 21 years old and lacks a threeball, which hurts his ceiling. However, the Hawks aren’t looking for a sky-high ceiling. They need a player who can accept his role on a competing team and perform in the most high-pressure moments. Mara, a defensive anchor for an NCAA champion, fits the bill. His 66.8% shooting on 7.5 attempts a night showed a willingness to sacrifice for the team and provide when asked.

Mara’s case is simple. Players his size with even average mobility and his competitive flair last a long time in the NBA. Mara isn’t just that, however. He also possesses notable playmaking ability, averaging 2.4 assists per game. For an NBA team looking to compete soon, Mara should slot in and compete with Okongwu for the starting job. Even if he’s their sixth man, he should contribute and be a rock for the franchise, metaphorically, in team building, and literally, on the defensive end.