Atlanta Hawks 2020 NBA Draft Big Board

We are now just three hours away from one of my favorite nights of the year, the NBA draft. As a die hard Hawks fans myself, I can't wait to see who we draft to put our franchise on the path to success. My opinions about the prospects destined to be selected during tonight's draft differ from the consensus, so I want to create my own list of prospects that I believe the Atlanta Hawks should target with the sixth pick.

My list will only include players that will likely be available at pick number six. This means that none of the consensus top three players (LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman) will appear on this list. My list is based on my own personal player evaluations, team fit, and salary cap management.

Here's my Atlanta Hawks 2020 NBA Draft Big Board

1. Devin Vassell, Wing, Florida State

You can never have too many wings and I believe that Devin Vassell has the chance to be a special team defender and a quality shot creator. He will step in and start day one and make winning plays as the Hawks try to make a playoff push. His upside isn't as high as Anthony Edwards and Aleksej Pokusevski, but he's going to be a very good wing and could easily outplay this draft spot.

2. Killian Hayes, Ball Handler, France

Putting two ball dominant point guards in your backcourt is an interesting move, but I believe Killian Hayes is the best player in the draft and could potentially fit well next to Trae Young. Hayes is a tremendous passer and continues to develop as a shot creator. His off ball defense would be welcomed next to Trae Young who happens to be one of the worst defenders in the NBA. Plugging Hayes next to Trae Young would allow Trae to play off the ball more and expand his offensive lethality. This is an intriguing fit and one that I'm interested in seeing.

3. Aleksej Pokusevski, Wing, Serbia

The Hawks' seem to be in win now mode and drafting a multi-year project probably doesn't seem smart. However, I'm very high on the mystery man from Serbia and if my first two players are off the board, I'd take a shot on Aleksej Pokusevski. Poku is a seven footer with guard skills who can make every pass imaginable and has versatile shooting ability. If his body develops and he can stay on the court, he's going to dominate at the next level. This pick would require a lot of patience, but it could pay off in a big way.

4. Isaac Okoro, Wing, Auburn

Like I mentioned earlier, you can never have too many wings. The Hawks have to make up for Trae Young's deficiencies as a defender and the way they can do that is by surrounding him with elite wing defenders. Isaac Okoro might just be the best on ball defender in the draft and his ability to lockdown perimeter players is enticing. His jumpshot needs to develop, but he provides exactly what the Hawks need right now: elite defense.

5. Deni Avdija, Wing, Israel

I'm lower on Deni Avdija than the consensus, but he has an intriguing skillset. Avdija is a big wing who can handle the ball well for his size and plays great team defense. His biggest issue is his shooting ability (59% FT%, gross). If his shot doesn't improve, he likely fails which makes him a huge risk this high in the draft. If the Hawks believe they can develop his jump shot they should consider drafting him.

6. Tyrese Maxey, Wing, Kentucky

Maxey would potentially be a top six pick if he was a few inches taller or just a bit more explosive. Those deficiencies in his game do drop his stock a bit, but he's still a quality secondary ball handler who can attack the basket and create his own shot off the dribble. What worries me about Maxey's fit next to Trae Young is how he would fare defensively. He's a fundamentally sound defender, but playing on the wing in Atlanta, he'd be required to defend bigger and stronger players than he would if he were the primary ball handler. This may prove to be quite difficult because of his small stature. Despite my concerns about his fit because of his defensive limitations, I'd be comfortable taking him since he can create his own shot and potentially provide value as an off ball shooter.

7. Onyeka Okongwu, Big, USC

Onyeka Okongwu is one of my favorite prospects in the entire draft. He is everything you want in a center for the modern age of basketball. He's switchable on defense and can play any type of pick and roll coverage while also being one of the more skilled centers in the draft. He's extremely mobile and has excellent touch in the post. In high school he showed the potential to be a solid floor spacer which adds another level of intrigue to his game. I would only draft Okongwu if we're able to trade Clint Capela because we don't need to pay three big men a ton of money. Nevertheless, he is one of the best options at number six if we find ourselves in need of a center.