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The Atlanta Hawks have been trying their best to become a playoff fixture. However, the franchise hasn't exactly made enough waves to carve out a deep playoff run. After a disappointing exit at the NBA Play-In Tournament, the Hawks are looking at the upcoming NBA Draft to make some valuable upgrades. Given that they own two first-round picks, the 13th and 22nd picks, the team is in a good position to fortify their roster.
But historically, Atlanta hasn't been one of the best teams at building through the draft. While they have picked up some solid prospects, they've also missed out on a lot of eventual stars. Here is a look at the Atlanta Hawks' 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in history.
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10. Luka Doncic-Trae Young swap – 2018
In a predraft arrangement, the Hawks and the Mavericks agreed to swap draft picks at the 2018 NBA Draft. In the end, Atlanta received Trae Young, who was selected fifth overall, and a first-round draft pick that turned into Cam Reddish. On the other hand, Dallas got Doncic, who was taken third overall.
While it's quite close to a win-win situation, given that the Hawks still got a stud in Young, however, it was hard to give up Luka, given that the sky was the limit in terms of his ceiling. In fact, just in the 2023-24 season, Luka carried the Mavericks to a Finals appearance. The farthest Young carried the Hawks in the playoffs was the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2021.
9. Omari Spellman – 2018
Although the 2018 NBA Draft was headlined by Doncic and Young, the Hawks made another critical mistake. With the final pick of the first round, Atlanta selected naturalized Lebanese big man Omari Spellman. Spellman was a talent out of Villanova. However, being undersized at the center position didn't help.
Furthermore, weight concerns and attitude problems spelled the demise of his two-year NBA career. Spellman was eventually forced to take his act overseas. To add insult to injury, the Hawks missed out on eventual superstar Jalen Brunson, who was taken in the second round, coincidentally by the Mavericks.
8. Adreian Payne – 2014
The Hawks had two draft picks in the 2014 NBA Draft, the 15th and 43rd picks. The former was a good chance to snag a diamond in the rough. But instead, Atlanta decided to waste it on Michigan State big man Adreian Payne. The 6-foot-10 center ended up averaging just 1.7 points per game in a Hawks uniform. With Payne's selection, Atlanta became one of the teams that missed out on three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who was taken in the second round.
7. Acie Law – 2007
Atlanta enjoyed two lottery picks at the 2007 NBA Draft, with the third and 11th picks. While the Hawks made a good decision in drafting Al Horford third overall, Acie Law as the 11th pick wasn't exactly a good one. Law ended up just producing 3.6 points per game as a reserve guard for Atlanta for two seasons. The best player who was still available was Marc Gasol, an eventual NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner who could've helped compensate Horford's weaknesses at the front court.
6. Cam Reddish – 2019
Speaking of the previously mentioned Luka Doncic-Trae Young exchange, the Hawks received a first-round draft pick from that day, which turned out to be Cam Reddish. The 10th overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft only added more justification that giving up Luka was a mistake.
Despite having plenty of upside as a premiere two-way player, Reddish failed to achieve consistency at the NBA level. After 2½ mediocre seasons, the Hawks pulled the plug. Unfortunately, Reddish continues to still find his footing in the league.
5. Jon Koncak – 1985
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Regarded as one of the worst top-five draft picks in the NBA, Jon Koncak was selected fifth overall at the 1985 NBA Draft. While he did carve out a lengthy 11-year NBA career, no one can say that Koncak lived up to the bill as a lottery pick to go along with the amount of lucrative deals he signed. The 7-foot big man's size was a welcomed commodity, but he averaged just 4.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in a Hawks uniform.
4. Marvin Williams – 2005
The 2005 NBA Draft saw the Hawks make one of the biggest fumbles in draft day history. With the second overall pick, Atlanta went with UNC star Marvin Williams. He was a decent starter for the Hawks for several seasons, averaging 11.5 points per game in his Atlanta tenure.
However, no one in their right mind would take him over the likes of eventual stars like Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Any of the two guards would've been better game-changers for the franchise. Furthermore, the Hawks also missed out on All-Star big men Andrew Bynum and David Lee.
3. Josh Childress – 2004
The early 2000s saw the Hawks enjoy some lottery picks. However, the franchise also basically wasted them all. One year prior to the Marvin Williams debacle, the team selected Josh Childress with the sixth overall pick. The Stanford star ended up as a huge miscalculation as he couldn't adjust to the NBA style of play to the point of leaving the NBA to play overseas.
2. DerMarr Johnson – 2000
Kicking off a new decade, the Hawks actually owned the sixth overall pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. Another failed sixth pick came in the form of Cincinnati prospect DerMarr Johnson. Johnson looked like he possessed some physical advantages over regular NBA wings thanks to his 6-foot-9 frame. But despite the hype, it just didn't work out in the NBA due to inconsistencies. However, it was a car accident that ultimately derailed his career.
1. Shelden Williams – 2006
Twenty-one years after picking Koncak fifth overall at the NBA Draft, the franchise enjoyed another fifth pick. And like Koncak, their decision proved to be another costly error as the franchise selected Shelden Williams. He was a megastar for Duke. Unfortunately, unlike at the college level, Williams faced bigger and more skilled big men. Unable to expand his arsenal, Williams' lack of size started to show. Eventually, he was out of the league after just six seasons.
