2018 NBA Mock Draft: Enter the madness

This is becoming quite the trendy pick on the NBA Draft internet, as we all imagine Jackson partnering with John Collins to usher Atlanta into the modern basketball world.

After saying goodbye to Paul Millsap and Al Horford the past two summers, it would seem impossible that the Hawks find their replacements so quickly. Yet this is the sort of situation smart (or lucky) teams put themselves in by landing core contributors with non-lottery picks. Collins was the No. 19 pick, and his rookie season puts him in contention for All-Rookie honors at the end of the year.

Besides Collins, Atlanta can count Taurean Prince and De’Andre Bembry as members of its young nucleus. That’s probably it for now, but with two other first-rounders this season, the team may be able to pull-off the on-the-fly rebuild so many teams dream about. Competitiveness is in the Hawks’ blood, and while Jackson looks raw right now, he is among the more safe picks at the top of the lottery.

Jackson, and the Hawks, could be good sooner than we think.