NBA Draft Lottery 2018: Who each team should take with the No. 1 pick
By Ian Levy
4. Atlanta Hawks — DeAndre Ayton (13.7% chance)
The Hawks are another team starting from square one. Dennis Schroder was supposed to be the first piece of their rebuild but he’s been less than effective, and gave an interview this week where he talked openly about playing for other teams like the Indiana Pacers. Taurean Prince and John Collins are both interesting potential role players but there is no one currently on the roster to anchor the next iteration of the team.
Ayton is the kind of player who could come in and help the Hawks establish an identity for the next decade. His inside-outside offensive game establishes a role hierarchy for Prince, Collins, Schroder (for as long as he’s a Hawk) and whatever other pieces are added down the road. Atlanta would certainly consider every other player on this list and their choice could be as wide open as anyone’s. Still Ayton’s combination of matchup-busting size and skill may be too enticing for them to pass up.