Fansided

NBA Draft 2016: Grades for every team

By Cody Williams

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 23: Taurean Prince poses with Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted 12th overall by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 23, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 23: Taurean Prince poses with Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted 12th overall by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 23, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

Atlanta Hawks

Picks: No. 12 Taurean Prince, No. 21 DeAndre Bembry, No. 44 Isaia Cordinier

The chaos that was the 2016 NBA Draft as a whole actually truly got started before Thursday night ever arrived. I’m of course talking about the Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and Utah Jazz all taking part in a big three-team trade that shipped Jeff Teague out of Atlanta as the Hawks moved into the lottery at No. 12 while retaining their own draft pick as well.

While it might seem like a bit of a reach what they did at No. 12 by taking Taurean Prince, I absolutely love what the Hawks did with their two first round picks. When you look at their wings last season in the wake of DeMarre Carroll’s departure, there was a clear hole in Atlanta that really hurt them on a number of occasions. So they went into this draft and tried to correct that in the first round by taking two experienced college wings in Prince and DeAndre Bembry.

Just for good measure, the Hawks then added a completely different type of wing than the other two players in the second round when they selected Isaia Cordinier. Though the Hawks are clearly in an odd position after trading Jeff Teague, that they went into Thursday’s draft identifying their clearest weakness and then addressed it is enough for me to consider their showing a success.

Final Grade: B

Next: Celtics

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