Atlanta Hawks: 5 options for pick No. 10 in 2019 NBA Draft

5. Goga Bitadze

Should Atlanta want to look at a traditional center, Goga Bitadze fits the bill. He’s a throwback big, but has added modern flare to his game to keep up with the times.

His bread and butter is as a post scorer, but he’s become adept in the pick-and-roll as the trends of the game have dictated so. He screens harder than almost anyone, finishes through contact at an advanced rate, and can also make great passes in motion. His footwork down low makes him a threat to attack mismatches as he pleases.

To supplement his finishing, he’s also a solid driver and cutter for his size. He only attempted 15 3-pointers this season, but his touch on floaters is encouraging enough to project him as a capable spot-up threat down the line.

Defensively he competes and isn’t blown by easily, although a higher level of athleticism could make that more difficult. What holds him back is lateral mobility, but with a 7’2″ wingspan and high basketball I.Q., he knows exactly where to position himself to make stops. It’s easy to envision him being an effective dropper in the pick-and-roll, a la Jusuf Nurkic.

What makes Bitadze an interesting fit with the Hawks is his intellect. He’s an above-average playmaker for his age (he turns 20 in July). A dribble-handoff with Trae Young or Kevin Huerter is easy to envision, similar to Joel Embiid‘s synergy with J.J. Redick. Seeing him throw lobs to John Collins off the short roll is a fun exercise as well.

Even if he’s not playable in high-level playoff settings, he can still be a valuable piece for large portions of the NBA calendar. After all, there are 82 regular season games.