Aside from trading John Collins to the Utah Jazz last offseason, the Atlanta Hawks have delayed major roster reconstruction over the last two years. Instead, they trusted that their talent and head coach Quin Snyder could smooth out the bumps and lead the franchise back towards a promising trajectory.
Porous defense, injuries and a lack of cohesion have only magnified the turbulence and set the organization further in a downward direction. And yet, Atlanta has been exercising patience.
That is becoming increasingly more challenging to do, however, especially after Lady Luck worked her magic at the NBA Draft Lottery. With the No. 1 overall pick now in their possession, the Hawks' decision has essentially been made for them.
Roster changes will be made to accommodate the arrival of a franchise pillar who can potentially pair alongside Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. French forward Zachary Risacher is gaining serious momentum, and his fellow countryman, center Alex Sarr, is considered the favorite by many outlets to come off the board first. But the front office might have another big man in mind.
Former UConn star Donovan Clingan “has fans among the Hawks' constituency at No. 1, meaning there's a lot left to be played out between now and June 26,” ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported. Atlanta has surprised the basketball-watching world plenty of times since 2021, in a variety of ways, so it is only fitting that the team would defy expectations at the 2024 NBA Draft.
How Donovan Clingan can fit with the Hawks
It is becoming tougher to justify keeping both Young and Dejounte Murray in the backcourt, but the idea of voluntarily dealing away both star guards is difficult to comprehend given management's conservative approach. Retaining one of them, along with the rising Johnson, could enable the Hawks to be somewhat competitive in the present. Drafting Clingan might coincide with that plan.
Clint Capela has one season left on his contract and is constantly a popular name in the trade rumor mill. Moving on from him makes a ton of financial sense, but his stalwart defense and elite rebounding must be replaced. Although Clingan comes with a myriad of question marks, he can quickly become a worthwhile contributor for Atlanta.
The defensive value the two-time national champion can immediately bring might cause the Hawks to overlook his possible limitations on offense. Add in the fact that this regime has avoided a rebuild to this point, and one can see the franchise coveting Clingan's complimentary skill set rather than the higher ceiling of Sarr or another player in this class.
Atlanta ranked in the bottom-three in points per game allowed, opponents' field goal percentage and opponents' 3-point shooting percentage. Defense is a glaring hole, and this draft pick could be used to fill it. The Hawks overcame tremendous odds to land the top selection, so they best not squander this opportunity.
The time for roster experimentation is over. General manager Landry Fields and company need to implement a long-term plan that can foster sustained success. Gambling on Donovan Clingan would be risky to say the least, but one of the team's gambles is bound to work out eventually, right?
Right?
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