NBA Draft 2019: 5 targets for the Atlanta Hawks

By Ian Levy | May 20, 2019

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 14: Cam Reddish poses for a portrait at the 2019 NBA Draft Combine on May 14, 2019 at the Chicago Hilton in Chicago, Illinois. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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AUSTIN, TX – MARCH 09: Texas Longhorn forward Jaxson Hayes (10) sets up for a free throw during game against the TCU Horned Frogs on March 9, 2019 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. Jaxson Hayes

Alex Len and Dewayne Dedmon played the majority of the center minutes for Atlanta last season. Dedmon is a good defender and adds some value with his spacing but he’s also 29 and a free agent, unlikely to be a part of this team’s future. Len is younger but not an ideal fit for the structure Atlanta is building and has just one more year on his deal.

Given their investment in John Collins, the ideal center for the Hawks future would be someone who could protect the rim and space the floor out to the 3-point line. Jaxson Hayes is not a shooter but he’s one of the better rim protectors in this class, with wingspan and hops that bring essentially any shot into his block radius, and he has potential as a pick-and-roll finisher, a’la Clint Capela. The fit next to Collins may not be ideal but Hayes solves at least one major problem with the current roster with his interior defense and the Hawks are still close enough to the beginning of their rebuild that they can afford to take the talent and figure out the fit later.

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