The 2024 NBA Draft is less than three weeks away and the Atlanta Hawks are going to have a huge decision to make when they officially go on the clock. Atlanta is still going through the pre-draft process, but three popular prospects have been the main focus for the Hawks with the No. 1 pick so far according to most reports. French prospects Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr as well as UConn center Donovan Clingan have been the guys linked to the Hawks the most so far and in the last two mock drafts from ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, Risacher has gone No. 1. That did not change today when Wasserman released his new mock draft today:
Team: JL Bourg-en-Bresse
Position: SG/SF
Size: 6'8", 204 lbs
Age/Year: 19
Nationality: French
Pro Comparison: Harrison Barnes
"Every Zaccharie Risacher playoff possession was monitored under the microscope of the Atlanta Hawks and other lottery teams. He wound up averaging 15.1 points with 14 threes in those seven games, delivering just enough flashes of step-backs or dribble moves to generate more hope around his on-ball development.
He still scored mostly with off-ball shotmaking and athleticism in transition, a combination that screams translatable and plug-and-play, fitting for a lineup like Atlanta's that already has two creators in Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Alex Sarr may offer more theoretical upside with his defensive versatility and face-up flashes at 7'1". Donovan Clingan could come off as more of an impact presence with his rim protection.
While scouts continue to debate the height of Risacher's ceiling, there is also a perceived level of certainty tied to his positional size, shooting and defensive tools/quickness.
In a draft where there isn't an obvious, sure-thing All-Star at the top, Risacher's floor and valued three-and-D archetype could give him an edge with a team that saw AJ Griffin struggle with injuries and Saddiq Bey go down late to an ACL tear."
While Risacher might be the most popular pick, Sarr and Clingan are still getting looked at as well.
In thelatest NBA Draft Big boardfrom ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, they still had those three players as the top prospects and they included new notes about the Hawks when talking about the,:
1. Zaccharie Risacher:
"Risacher's 75-game season ended May 30, giving him a few days off before the start of the NBA Global Camp on June 4. There he was measured and conducted interviews, a medical examination, athletic testing and drills. Risacher will depart for Atlanta next week -- his home base for the remainder of the pre-draft process, a city he is familiar with after training there in previous summers. Before leaving for the United States, he has some loose ends to tie up in France, sources say, including passing his driver's license test, a farewell news conference at his club, JL Bourg, and a suit-fitting in Paris with Armani for draft night on June 26.
We'll see how wide of a net Risacher elects to cast in NBA team workouts with fairly limited time at his disposal and coming off a long season. Most teams don't expect him to be available in the draft past No. 4, when the San Antonio Spurs pick, so the Atlanta Hawks (No. 1 pick) and Washington (No. 2 pick) are looking like increasingly strong options."
2. Alex Sarr:
"Sarr will be one of the first names off the board on June 26, but the situation at the top of the draft has yet to fully play out. He is firmly in the mix as an option for Atlanta at No. 1, but the Hawks are being thorough in gathering information as they move toward their decision. If Atlanta passes on Sarr, Washington is strongly shaping up as a landing spot, with rival teams believing the Wizards at No. 2 to be his floor.
As a mobile 7-footer with skill potential and elite physical tools, Sarr has obvious long-term appeal as he gains experience and matures, and he should be able to make an impact defensively right away. He made big strides this season in Perth, and if he can protect the rim and space the floor at a high level at both the 4 and 5 spots, he'll be the type of player teams find challenging to acquire in any draft, no matter the depth of the class. Those potential high-end outcomes are worth a swing at the top of the draft."
3. Donovan Clingan:
"Clingan is a top-three prospect who might experience a minor drop on draft night because teams that are in the Nos. 3-6 range already have starting centers in place. He's in conversation at No. 1 after working out in Atlanta (which is exploring trade-down scenarios). He is also spending time in Washington, which has the No. 2 pick. Clingan isn't expected to drop past the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7, whom he just visited for a private workout as well. He is being discussed among teams as a possible target for the likes of Chicago, Memphis, Oklahoma City or Utah, who all might explore trading up for a player in his mold.
Clingan's appeal is evident at 7-foot-3 with a 7-7 wingspan and 9-7 standing reach, and he's viewed by many as the draft's most impactful defensive prospect with the timing he shows as a rim-protector and the improvement he has made guarding the pick-and-roll. His youth, productivity, touch and instincts on both ends of the court give him a high floor and make him a sleeper candidate to hear his name called at No. 1."
Those were the only Hawks notes that were in their new big board.
I still think Sarr is the best player in this draft class, but he is far from a sure thing and Risacher does make sense. Things are going to be very fluid right now for Atlanta and there is going to be a lot of smoke surrounding this pick along with the three prospects at the top.
Yesterday, NBA Draft analyst Sam Vecenie had the Hawks taking Sarr with the No. 1 pick and mentioned that the process is still ongoing for Atlanta:
"Since winning the lottery with just a 3-percent chance, the Hawks, according to league sources, are still in the information-gathering process with the top prospects in this class. Atlanta was in the Eastern Conference Play-In tournament and moved up nine spots on lottery night, so it didn’t have quite as much intel on the prospects at the top as teams that knew they would have high selections, like the Wizards below. The Hawks are catching up quick, though, with several front-office members taking a trip to France to see Zaccharie Risacher in a playoff game, in addition to spending hours on the phone gathering information on all of their potential selections.
Because the Hawks are still earlier in their process than many of the other teams at the top of the lottery, this selection is still seen as being fluid. The two most popular names that come up around the league remain Sarr and Risacher, but the Hawks continue to perform due diligence beyond those two. Donovan Clingan is also seen as a potential option at all three of the top selections before his range goes dark for the teams currently slotted at Nos. 4 through No. 6.
For now, I’ve gone with Sarr, who emerged early in this draft cycle as a potential No. 1 pick. His performance against the G League Ignite in early September had scouts believing he was the best prospect on the court.
Sarr is a defensive difference-maker who covers a ton of ground with his arms and quick feet, much like bigs such as Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Cleveland’s Evan Mobley and Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton. Sarr flies around off the ball and can thrive in a variety of ball-screen coverages ranging from switching to drop. If he’s waiting at the rim and opponents challenge him, odds are he’ll contest the shot, if not outright block it.
The other end is the question. Sarr has shown potential as a rim runner in ball screens, but for the most part, his offensive game involves pick-and-pops, and he doesn’t make great screen contact. He’s not a high-impact defensive rebounder, which has led to some questioning if he can consistently play center in the NBA. If Sarr indeed requires a more physical center alongside him, his limited offensive game may be exposed. He’s best served playing next to a floor-spacing five, unless he can become a dangerous perimeter shooter himself."
Things could change over the next few weeks, but the thing that remains certain is that Atlanta's front office needs to nail this pick and help reshape their roster.
