Fansided

NBA Draft 2018: 5 players that were taken by the wrong team

By Rucker Haringey

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Kevin Knox speaks with media after being drafted ninth overall by the New York Knicks during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 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 21: Kevin Knox speaks with media after being drafted ninth overall by the New York Knicks during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 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) /
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Jazz, Hawks, Kevin Huerter
COLLEGE PARK, MD – FEBRUARY 10: Kevin Huerter #4 of the Maryland Terrapins handles the ball against the Northwestern Wildcats at Xfinity Center on February 10, 2018 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /

4. Kevin Huerter — Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks entered the 2018 NBA Draft with a lot of needs. Shooting on the wing is actually something they actually had coming into the night. WIth so many holes on the roster, the selection of Kevin Huerter seems a little bit awkward.

Specifically, Huerter is going to need to outplay Taurean Prince and Kent Bazemore if he’s going to get a lot of playing time as a rookie. His lack of physical strength makes that unlikely. Huerter has the frame to become a good defender in time, but he’s going to get pushed around as a rookie.

The only avenue for a lot of playing time as a rookie is if Huerter just outshoots the internal competition. He could do that, but it’s far from a lock. He seems like a pick for the Hawks’ future instead of their present.

That’s a bit of a blow for Huerter’s chances of developing into a rotation player as a rookie. Going to a more established team with a clear need for a wing shooter could have positioned him to play solid minutes right away. Going somewhere like Minnesota would have given him a chance to carve out a big role from day one. Going to Atlanta isn’t going to harm Huerter’s career in the long haul, but it’s not the best place for him as a rookie. He’ll have to wait his turn to make his mark in the NBA unless the Hawks make significant roster moves at the wing.