NBA Draft Rumors: Atlanta Hawks after Gary Harris, Rodney Hood & James Young
Although the Atlanta Hawks lost their best player, center Al Horford, for a majority of the season, they still managed to get into the postseason and push the top-seed Indiana Pacers to seven games before bowing out in the first round.
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Now, they will look to upgrade their roster through the draft.
According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, the Hawks are interested in former Kentucky Wildcats’ swingman James Young, former Duke Blue Devils’ forward Rodney Hood and former Michigan State Spartans’ wing Gary Harris with the 15th-overall pick in next week’s draft.
"Two players who are rising on teams’ draft boards: Bosnian center Jusuf Nurkic and Louisiana-LaFayette point guard Elfrid Payton. Nurkic could be a stash option for the Bulls at 19, if they keep the pick, or for Atlanta at 15. The Hawks, in need of a wing, also are said to be considering James Young, Rodney Hood and Gary Harris."
Hood measured in at 6’8.5 and 208 lbs. with a wingspan of 6’8.5 at the NBA’s Scouting Combine. He averaged 16.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last season. He shot 46.4% from the field, 42.0% from three and 80.7% from the charity stripe for the Blue Devils last season. He is ranked as the 21st-best prospect in the draft by Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.
Young measured in at 6’6.75 and 213 lbs. with a wingspan of 7’0. He averaged 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 40.7% from the field, 34.9% from three and 70.6% from the free throw line. He is ranked as the draft’s 24th-best prospect by Givony.
Harris is ranked as the 13th-best prospect in the draft. He measured in at 6’4.5 and 205 lbs. with a wingspan of 6’6.75 at the NBA’s Scouting Combine. He averaged 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 42.9% from the field, 35.2% from the free throw line and 81.0% from the free throw line.