2020 NBA Draft: Top 3 players for Atlanta Hawks to select with 1st round pick

With a high pick coming in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks look to add on to an already outstanding young core.

Atlanta had a rough season in the second year of coach Lloyd Pierce’s tenure. After the hiatus in play, the Atlanta Hawks had a 20-47 record and was 14th in the eastern conference, and had the fifth-worst record in the NBA, creating a high position in the upcoming NBA Draft.

There were some bright spots in Atlanta’s season. Second-year player Trae Young had an outstanding year. Young averaged 29 points, four rebounds, and nine assists while shooting 43% from the field and was named an Eastern Conference all-star starter in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. John Collins was great as well this year, averaging 21 points,10 rebounds, and an assist while shooting 58% from the field. Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter, and De’Andre Hunter were all good as advertised, each averaging above 10 points a game.

Another bright spot in the year was the farewell of 43-year-old Vince Carter. Carter capped off his Hall Of Fame career averaging six points, two rebounds, and 0.8 assists a game. Atlanta is hoping Carter’s veteran presence taught their young core a lot over the last two years.

When Trae Young came off the court last year for Atlanta they struggled heavily only scoring 13.3 points per 100 possessions, which is under a point per possession. The Hawks were also 26th in offensive efficiency and 28th in defensive efficiency. Atlanta filled the need for a rim protector trading for Clint Capela during the season. The Hawks are now in need of a player who can score the ball when Young comes off the floor, or a player who can help Trae in the backcourt defensively.

And since Atlanta was bad this year, they will most likely have a top-5 pick and plenty of top-tier talent to choose from. Here are three players that I think will help Atlanta, the most, based on their team needs.