Fansided

2019 NBA Draft grades for every team: Pelicans get an A+, Rockets get an F

By Brandon Jefferson

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: Zion Williamson poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the first overall pick by the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: Zion Williamson poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the first overall pick by the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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Cam Reddish injury update
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 28: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils smiles during a practice session ahead of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament East Regional at Capital One Arena on March 28, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

1. Atlanta Hawks – B

4th Overall – DeAndre Hunter, Forward (Virginia)

10th Overall – Cam Reddish, Forward (Duke)

34th overall – Bruno Fernando, Center (Maryland)

On a night where an NBA draft record for trades would be tied, it was the Atlanta Hawks that jump-started things when they moved up to get the number four overall pick from the New Orleans Pelicans. Atlanta would send the eighth, 17th, and 35th overall picks in the 2019 NBA Draft along with the Cleveland Cavaliers protected 2020 first-round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in return for the fourth pick, the 57th pick, and Solomon Hill.

They then used the pick to select DeAndre Hunter out of Virginia—who had only worked out for the Hawks during the pre-draft process. Just like last year, general manager zeroed in on the guy he wanted and made the deal he felt would allow him to secure that player. Hunter fits in nicely alongside Atlanta’s young nucleus of Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, and John Collins as he doesn’t need the ball to be impactful and he’s already the best defender in the group.

In all of the trade discussions to jump from the eighth higher up the draft, Schlenk held firm that the team would not be trading the 10th overall pick. Once they were back on the clock, the Hawks used their second lottery pick to take a chance on Duke’s Cam Reddish. The tale of the tape on Reddish is that he’s supremely talented but his reserved nature can affect him on the court at times. Trying to play a spot-up shooter role with the Blue Devils wasn’t a great fit for his skills and his underwhelming freshman season is part of the reason why he lasted until the 10th pick Thursday night. Schlenk said that the Hawks have had Reddish in their radar since he was in high school.

The Hawks started the night with six total picks and ended up with half of that when all the dust settled. Taking on the Hill contract is definitely not a great look and in a draft where a lot of the players after three were relatively equal prospects trading up isn’t the most ideal move. However, they had two guys from this draft that they wanted and they got them both. Each provides something this team needed and Atlanta is one of the must-see young teams in the NBA.

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