Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Atlanta Hawks hold two first-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft and are exploring combinations that could accelerate their playoff contention.
- With a young core already in place, the team's draft strategy focuses on addressing depth and positional versatility to complement existing stars.
- The debate centers on whether to prioritize frontcourt size or perimeter talent, with multiple high-upside pairings still on the table at both picks.
The Atlanta Hawks are coming off a 46-win season in 2025-26 and, while that was roughly in line with preseason projections for Quin Snyder's team, there is a lot to be excited about in Atlanta. In fact, the Hawks navigated the season with one of the league's youngest rosters, and Atlanta managed to produce that win total despite injury-plagued seasons from Trae Young and Kristaps Porziņģis that ended with both players being traded.
The future is bright with the Hawks around All-NBA forward Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Onyeka Okongwu, and Atlanta also has the rare combination of a top-10 pick for a team that is already operating at a clear playoff level. In fact, the Hawks have two first round NBA Draft selections in 2026 (No. 8 and No. 23), and that reality leads to a great deal of speculation on what president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh may be targeting with those picks.
In this space, we'll highlight three potential combinations that would make sense in Atlanta, attempting to be realistic in which players might be available at No. 8 and No. 23.
Aday Mara and Ebuka Okorie
The Hawks already have a quality starting center in Onyeka Okongwu, but Atlanta's backup center situation was messy throughout the 2025-26 season and Okongwu does have a general lack of size and rim protection. As such, Atlanta is definitely in the market for another center option to pair with Okongwu, and Aday Mara would bring the level of size that Quin Snyder has always been rumored to crave since he coached Rudy Gobert in Utah. Mara could certainly be available at No. 8 overall and, if the Hawks buy his ability to flash to the perimeter enough, his rim protection on defense and passing chops on offense could be appealing.
In that scenario, the Hawks could come back with a guard at No. 23 overall. Atlanta does not have a lead guard of the future, even if the Hawks do have quality perimeter options in Johnson, Alexander-Walker, and Daniels. Ebuka Okorie was one of the most productive players in the country as a freshman at Stanford, and he has a lottery-level profile that could still be around in the 20's.
Kingston Flemings and Dailyn Swain
Another pathway for Atlanta could be to tab a guard at No. 8 overall, and Kingston Flemings currently checks in at No. 6 overall on our FanSided Big Board. Flemings, who starred at Houston last season, brings incredible quickness to the table, showcasing the ability to break the paint and make the right decision when he gets there. While Flemings is certainly not a "big" guard, he is ruggedly strong and was able to function at a high level in Houston's vaunted defense a year ago.
While conventional wisdom may point to the Hawks seeking out a center at some point in the first round, it is possible that the chips may not fall that way. In this scenario, Swain would be an upside bet for the Hawks, as the former Texas wing has considerable chops as an isolation scorer. Flemings may not have the pure upside of someone like Mikel Brown Jr. in the same range, but if the Hawks can find stability there, they can swing a bit more at No. 23 overall with someone like Swain.
Keaton Wagler and Jayden Quaintance
It is difficult to parse which of the guards may still be on the board at No. 8 between Flemings, Brown Jr., Darius Acuff, and Keaton Wagler. Wagler is a fascinating player who came out of almost nowhere at Illinois to put himself firmly in the top half of the lottery this season, and he has the abililty to effectively play on and off the ball. That is appealing for a team that has Johnson as a primary initiator, though it will be interesting to see how Wagler matures and adds much-needed strength to his frame.
At No. 23 overall in this scenario, former Kentucky and Arizona State big man Jayden Quaintance would be highly appealing. Quaintance has well-documented injury questions, but in a world in which he slips into the 20's, the risk is far lower and the upside, particularly on the defensive end, is tremendous. If Quaintance was off the board and the Hawks were itching to add in the frontcourt, players like North Carolina's Henri Veesaar or UCONN's Tarris Reed could be possibilities, but Quaintance has lottery pedigree if the medicals check out.
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