For the first time in more than a decade, the Atlanta Hawks entered the NBA Draft with a premium asset on the table. Teams that reach the postseason rarely posses top-flight draft capital and, when they do (i.e. the Boston Celtics in recent years), it comes as a result of luck and/or a heist scenario in which the stars align to produce a trade result that locks in beautifully. As a result, Atlanta’s lengthy playoff streak kept the team from having the opportunity to add premium talent through the draft and, even with some strong personnel moves along the way, there is nothing quite like a top-end draft pick when searching for potentially elite talent.
Travis Schlenk, Atlanta Hawks execute controversial plan in 2018 NBA Draft
