NBA Draft 2018: 5 best fits for Jaren Jackson Jr.

1. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks find themselves with the No. 3 pick for a reason. Outside of rookie John Collins, Atlanta doesn’t feature another player that projects comfortably as a starter moving forward. That gives them the flexibility to address almost any position with their first round pick.

Jackson Jr. and Collins could form a really interesting front court combination. Collins excels in the paint despite not being an out-and-out banger. Jackson Jr.’s ability to stretch the ball with his 3-point stroke would leave Collins with plenty of room to operate in the paint.

On defense, Atlanta’s hope would be that Collins and Jackson Jr. could both develop as bigs they could switch at every opportunity. It might take both men some serious coaching to reach that level, but the Hawks aren’t in any hurry to contend. They can afford to be patient with everyone’s development.

The real question for Atlanta is whether or not Jackson Jr. projects to be a good enough offensive player to justify such a high selection. This is a team that needs shot creation in the worst way. Unfortunately, the draft doesn’t line up great for them to select a player at No. 3 who fills that need. That’s why Jackson Jr. could be the best possible pick for the Hawks.