The NBA Draft is upon us, and the Atlanta Hawks will pick first in a draft that is less anticipated than drafts of years past, but still has plenty of players who can fill team needs. What does each lottery team need, and which prospect can theoretically fill those holes?
1. Atlanta Hawks
Needs: More good players
Atlanta lucked into the first overall pick and should simply take the player it thinks can provide the most production for the most years. Alex Sarr could be that guy. It never hurts to add a defensive center with a tremendously high ceiling. Atlanta doesn’t need a center right now, but need should never interfere with the first overall pick in a draft. Clint Capela has been a solid NBA center for many years but if Sarr is Atlanta’s guy, the Hawks shouldn’t overthink this. Take the French big man and see how he can develop.
2. Washington Wizards
Needs: NBA-level center
The Wizards could, hypothetically, upgrade at any position on the court, but center is the most immediate issue right now. If the 2024-25 season started today, Washington would likely roll out Marvin Bagley III as its starting center. Though Bagley had some nice moments with Washington after it acquired him at the deadline, he is by no means a long-term answer. Donovan Clingan might not have the ceiling of other players in this draft, but he is the most NBA-ready defensive center the Wizards can grab here. He makes sense for Washington at two.
3. Houston Rockets
Needs: Guard depth, shooting
Houston doesn’t have a glaring need in its starting five, so drafting for depth might be the play here. Reed Sheppard of Kentucky would fit well on Houston, a team that finished in the top 10 defensively last season. Sheppard’s calling card is his on-ball defense, and his 52.1% three-point shooting is a nice complement to that. Houston has good shooters but no great shooters and Sheppard would change that immediately.
4, 8. San Antonio Spurs
Needs: point guard for Wemby, talent
There isn’t a perfect fit for the Spurs here – ideally, they’d find a pass-first guard who makes Wemby’s life easier. But Stephon Castle fits anywhere. His versatility helped UConn dance to a national championship and that ability to do a bit of everything will shore up a lot of things in San Antonio’s backcourt. With their second pick, the Spurs might as well take a swing. Ron Holland from the G League Ignite showed enough creation potential to warrant taking a shot on him, and at 6-foot-8 he at least fits the mold of a modern wing scorer – which San Antonio (and every team, really) would love.
5. Detroit Pistons
Needs: Stability
Hope has been hard to come by in Detroit the past few years, and that stems from the lack of on-court cohesion. The Pistons should look for players who have an obvious NBA skill that the franchise is confident will transfer immediately. Dalton Knecht can score the ball with ease – he showed that at Tennessee (21.7 PPG) last season, so it would be logical for Detroit to scoop him at number five.
6. Charlotte Hornets
Needs: Backcourt mate for Melo
Charlotte shipped Terry Rozier to Miami last season so there’s a pretty sizable hole next to LaMelo Ball in the Hornets backcourt. Filling that hole with one of the best shooters in the draft in Duke’s Jared McCain (41.4% on 5.8 attempts per game) would be a great get for Charlotte.
7, 14. Portland Trail Blazers
Needs: Big man depth, scoring
Portland’s offense for most of 2023-24 was physically painful to watch. The team finished at or near the bottom of the league in most offensive stats, so the “anyone who can shoot” draft strategy might be beneficial here. Knecht makes a ton of sense if he’s still on the board. Portland also needs center help. DeAndre Ayton is a serviceable option, and even if you believe he’s the long term answer there, Portland doesn’t have many NBA-level bigs outside of him. DaRon Holmes II of Dayton is worth a look, too.
9. Memphis Grizzlies
Needs: A project
Memphis had one of the worst injury luck seasons in NBA history last year, but there’s no reason why this team shouldn’t bounce back in a big way in 2024-25. So with no glaring needs, the Grizz can afford to take a massive swing here and take Tidjane Salaun, the 6-foot-9 Frenchman with tantalizing physical tools. If he turns out to not be an NBA player, it’s not the end of the world. If he does, then Memphis has another piece to add to its almost complete rebuild.
10. Utah Jazz
Needs: Versatile four
Taylor Hendricks might end up being one of the steals of last year’s draft, but Utah should be on the lookout for another power forward, preferably one that can shoot. Matas Buzelis from the G League Ignite is supposed to be that archetype, but he didn’t actually shoot the ball well in his time at GLI. Still, he brings enough intrigue as a 6-foot-9 ballhandler and scorer that he’s worth a look from Utah.
11. Chicago Bulls
Needs: To start over
Chicago traded Alex Caruso to the Thunder recently in a move that likely signals the start of a bigger overhaul. The Bulls shouldn’t be picking here based on who fits the current roster because the current roster is not likely going to be the roster on opening night. Cody Williams from Colorado has enough traits to entice a team like Chicago into picking him, as long as the team is willing to be patient in his development. Chicago is likely starting a rebuild, so it has nothing but time on its hands.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
Needs: Center depth
Having multiple big men you’re comfortable playing has proven to be imperative. Oklahoma City didn’t have that last year, and this draft slot might be the perfect place to remedy that. Zach Edey’s college resume speaks for itself: two-time National Player of the Year, two-time All-American, two-time Big 10 POY, 25.2 points per game last year. OKC’s pressure to hit on this pick is supremely low, so go with the talented Edey who also fits a need.
13. Sacramento Kings
Needs: Plug-and-play guy
The Kings extended Malik Monk and might be star hunting this offseason, so picking up a guy who can contribute immediately makes the most sense here. Tristan Da Silva from Colorado is that guy. He’s older (23 years old) but can shoot the lights out and possesses a high feel for the game. He almost fits the mold of another player the Kings took a few years ago in Keegan Murray, and you can’t have too many forwards who can space the floor.
