Atlanta Hawks
John Collins (No.19), Tyler Dorsey (No. 41), Alpha Kaba (No. 60)
The biggest draft move for the Atlanta Hawks came a few days earlier, when the team unceremoniously dumped Dwight Howard in a deal with the Charlotte Hornets for Marco Belinelli, Miles Plumlee’s ugly contract and the chance to move 10 spots back in the draft.
That move barely deserved a passing grade considering it was meant for nothing more than getting rid of D-12. Drafting Wake Forest’s John Collins provides a potential replacement down the line, but he’s more of an offensively inclined player.
Came into draft season wanting the Hawks to take upside and two-way players.
— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) June 23, 2017
They got neither IMO. Doesn't mean Collins will fail, though.
Collins has a solid base as a scorer and a pick-and-roll partner with Dennis Schroder, but he doesn’t have much upside. He can’t pass, was knocked for his defense in college and doesn’t stretch the floor — all staples of Mike Budenholzer’s offense. Atlanta will have to coach him up — a legitimate possibility — for him to become a good fit.
Tyler Dorsey provides a nice two-way threat as a potential 3-and-D prospect, while Alpha Kaba is a likely draft-and-stash. The rebuild is coming, and with a largely unsexy draft soon to be followed by Paul Millsap’s free agency, it’s probably not going to be pretty.
Grade: C-