With multiple potential stars in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Hawks are bound to succeed, even if the Pelicans' pick falls out of the top-3.
Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh has blessed the franchise in more ways than one since his promotion last summer, and with the New Orleans Pelicans sitting at 5-23, the best is yet to come. Earlier this year, the Hawks traded Derik Queen to the Pelicans for their 2025 first-round pick and 2026 first-round pick, unprotected.