NBA Draft 2019: Grading how all 30 teams fared on draft night

Atlanta Hawks

Grade: F

Picks: De’Andre Hunter (No. 4), Cam Reddish (No. 10), Bruno Fernando (No. 34)

The NBA Draft is all about value. Drafting players in reasonable spots, using picks to achieve whatever their max value is, whether that’s keeping it and selecting someone that fits the organization’s plan, or flipping it in a move that consolidates assets to move up (at a reasonable price, might I add) or acquires assets to move back and even out of the draft entirely. It’s all about value. Picks are capital, and even if a front office isn’t wishing to end the night with all of their picks, they should still behave in a way that helps them the most. It behooves front offices to make smart decisions as to not waste draft capital and assets.

Travis Schlenk, after having what was lauded as a relatively great draft last year (trading back for Trae Young and then drafting Maryland sharpshooter Kevin Huerter at 19), apparently didn’t understand this.

No, it seemed like value was of little importance to him, putting together what was nothing short of a disastrous draft night for the Atlanta Hawks.

Entering the night with six draft picks — No. 8, 10, 17, 35, 41, and 44 — was a luxury that many teams would love to have, as it gave the team several options. Most importantly, it gave them the chance to use those second-rounders in either a consolidation effort or in moves to acquire future picks.

Instead, Schlenk sold off No. 41 to the Golden State Warriors for cash and a second-rounder four years down the road, as well as No. 44 to the Miami Heat for cash and a heavily-protected second-rounder that is unlikely to convey. Two second-round picks in a great range, sold for essentially cash — selling picks is fine, but selling two good ones is questionable at best.

But that wasn’t the worst part of the evening. Rather, it was more of an appetizer for what was to come.

Rumors that the Hawks were looking to trade up to No. 4, owned by the New Orleans Pelicans via the Los Angeles Lakers from the Anthony Davis trade, ultimately manifested in a draft day deal that saw the Hawks pay up an extremely hefty price.

Atlanta shipped picks No. 8, 17, 35, and a protected Cleveland first-rounder in 2020 (that will likely convey as two future second-rounders if they finish in the bottom-10 next year) in exchange for No. 4, No. 57, and Solomon Hill. Three solid draft picks, plus future draft capital (those seconds are likely to be early given the Cavs’ rebuilding effort), all to move up a few spots and to take on dead money.

And they did this to pick up Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter at No. 4.

Man.

Hunter is not a bad player. Nor is Cam Reddish, who was picked at No. 10. Atlanta was genuinely the best landing spot for both players, from developmental and stylistic standpoints, as they get to play in a free-flowing, three-point-heavy (i.e. fun!) offense built around Trae Young and John Collins. Reddish was actually good value at No. 10, so there are no qualms there. I truly believe that both players landed in the best spot, and they both went in the top 10, which is awesome for them.

But moving up to pick Hunter, a player who likely maxes out as a solid role player due to limited scoring abilities, is rough. Giving up that much draft capital is rough. If it were Jarrett Culver who they moved up for, someone I’ve lauded as the draft’s second-best player, would’ve made this deal a bit better, but that wasn’t the case. Throw in the fact that they later dealt the 57th pick and two future second-rounders to move back into the second round to select Bruno Fernando (a decent pick, considering their search for another center), when they seriously could’ve not sold their picks in the first place, and the night just gets so much worse.

It’s not that the players they ended up with are bad or anything — it’s how they got them which is problematic.

What a night, and not in a good way.