Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray "has more value than Trae Young at this stage," per ESPN's Bobby Marks on NBA Today (h/t Pelicans Film Room).

The Hawks are the team to watch Wednesday as the NBA draft kicks off from Brooklyn. Atlanta holds the No. 1 overall pick, and it's not entirely clear what the team plans to do at this stage.

And then there's the matter of the Hawks' two star guards, both of whom have been the subject of trade rumors and speculation for months.

It's easy to see why Murray would reportedly have more value in a trade. Nick Angstadt of Locked on Mavs explained:

Granted, Young is a better scorer, shooter and distributor, but Murray is also far better on the defensive end and holds his own offensively as well (22.5 PPG, 6.4 APG).

The Los Angeles Lakers have been the No. 1 team to watch for Murray, as L.A. and Atlanta has trade talks before the 2024 deadline before they fell through. Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, L.A. is willing to make its No. 17 overall pick available in a potential deal.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony also linked Murray (and the Utah Jazz's Collin Sexton) with the Lakers in deals that include the No. 17 pick.

There's a little too much smoke here to totally ignore the connection. As for Young, he apparently finds the Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs as appealing destinations should he be dealt, per Fischer.

Ultimately, the Hawks are going to make moves after finding themselves stuck in neutral for three years following their surprising 2021 Eastern Conference Finals appearance. The team went just 36-46 and finished 10th in the East last year with Young and Murray serving as the team's backbone, so it seems like a matter of if and not when at least one of them is moved.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony believes that "all signs point to" the Atlanta Hawks selecting French league standout Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NBA draft.

"The Hawks continue to signal that they have not yet determined their draft-night direction, but other teams are preparing as if Risacher will come off the board at No. 1," Givony wrote.

If Risacher goes at the top of the draft, the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs will be selecting between other top picks like Australian standout Alex Sarr, UConn's Stephon Castle and Kentucky's Reed Sheppard.

The Hawks conducted a private workout with Risacher the week prior to the draft, per Givony.

Atlanta's public interest in Risacher extends back to earlier this spring, when Hawks leadership, including head coach Quin Snyder and assistant general manager Kyle Korver, traveled in May to Bourg, France, to watch the 6'8" wing in the LNB Elite playoffs.

Risacher proved he could succeed in the pros by competing for JL Bourg last season, averaging 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 35.2 percent from deep in league play.

In his final mock draft for Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman predicted the Hawks will take Risacher with the No. 1 pick.

"While scouts continue to debate the height of his ceiling, there is a perceived level of certainty tied to his positional size, shooting and defensive tools/quickness," Wasserman wrote. "That could sway the Hawks to lean Risacher's way without a sure-thing star at the top."

Wasserman added that injury concerns surrounding Saddiq Bey and AJ Griffin could lead to the Hawks using the pick to bolster their small forward depth.

There is still a chance that the Hawks could decide to trade the No. 1 pick, as The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reported Monday the team was listening to offers, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said Tuesday that it appeared the Hawks would be sticking with the selection.

The 2024 NBA draft begins Wednesday at 8 pm. ET on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

The Atlanta Hawks aren't discussing any trades involving the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"This is an organization that, right now, looks very much like they're going to keep that No. 1 pick," Wojnarowski said during a Tuesday appearance on SportsCenter (1:40 mark). "They're not engaged with anybody about moving down."

Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer initially reported Monday that the Hawks were among the teams that were "listening to trade offers for their selections."

French forward Zaccharie Risacher could be the Hawks' choice if they stand pat at No. 1, as he worked out for the team on June 19.

While fellow French prospect Alex Sarr has also been mentioned as a top choice, his potential future in Atlanta is uncertain after Hawks general manager Landry Fields confirmed on Tuesday that he declined to work out for the team.

Although O'Connor noted that Atlanta has interest in UConn center Donovan Clingan, he added that the team would "ideally prefer to trade down" if it were to select him. With the Hawks reportedly not engaged in trade discussions involving the No. 1 pick, Risacher may be joining the team instead.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Atlanta would use the No. 1 pick on Risacher during his latest mock draft. Wasserman compared the 19-year-old to Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. and Sacramento Kings wing Harrison Barnes in his scouting report.

"Every lottery team could use or has room for an athletic, three-and-D wing, which seems like the worst-case outcome for Risacher," Wasserman wrote. "A high floor means more in an uncertain draft."

With time winding down before the draft begins, it appears increasingly likely that the Hawks will keep the No. 1 selection. The first round begins on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young has several teams that he would be interested in if a trade occurs.

According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and the San Antonio Spurs are three destinations that would be "appealing" to Young if he's dealt by the Hawks this offseason.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported on April 9 that Atlanta would "likely" trade either Young or Dejounte Murray in the summer.

Young's future in Atlanta has been murky, as the Hawks have failed to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs in each season after making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. This included a 2023-24 campaign that ended with a 36-46 record, as the team was eliminated by the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament.

The 25-year-old still maintained his impressive individual production, averaging 25.7 points and 10.8 assists per game on 43.0/37.3/85.5 shooting splits. However, the Hawks may pivot towards a younger roster centered around the incoming No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft.

New Orleans could be interested in pairing Young with Zion Williamson, forming one of the NBA's most imposing pick-and-roll duos. The Pelicans have been active on the trade market, with Stein reporting that the team would "aggressively" shop Brandon Ingram throughout the offseason.

Although the concept of Young alongside Victor Wembanyama is also intriguing, the interest may not be mutual. According to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, the Spurs don't view Young as a long-term "fit" next to the standout rookie.

While the Lakers may attempt to pursue Young, they'll need to figure out LeBron James' future first. James currently hasn't made a decision on a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season (via Spotrac).

Even though Young hasn't requested a trade from Atlanta, he already appears to have his eyes on several potential new teams.

French forward Alex Sarr recently discussed his choice to pass on working out for the Atlanta Hawks, who hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.

Sarr referenced his agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, when speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

"I have a great team around me," he said. "Bill Duffy and WME, they've really been through all of this. I trust them. I'm not going to get into the specifics of where I worked out and where I didn't."

Hawks general manager Landry Fields confirmed on Tuesday that Sarr declined to work out for Atlanta after he was scheduled to visit.

"[Sarr] was scheduled to come to work out, we had it on the books," Fields said in an appearance on 92.9 The Game's The Steakhouse show. "And then he declined to come work out."

The 19-year-old played for the NBL in Australia during the 2023-24 season, appearing in 24 games as a member of the Perth Wildcats. Sarr averaged 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 17.2 minutes per game. He shot 52.0 percent from the field, 29.8 percent from three, and 71.4 percent from the charity stripe.

Given his height and his 7'4.25" wingspan, it's easy to see why teams are interested in selecting him near the top of the draft. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman compared Sarr to Memphis Grizzlies forward and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. in his scouting report.

"The obvious draw to Sarr revolves around his rim protection, defensive switchability and potential to stretch from the floor from the 4 or 5 positions," Wasserman wrote. "He's going to serve as a roaming shot-blocker who can guard and shoot around the perimeter."

In his latest mock draft, Wasserman projected the Washington Wizards to select Sarr with the No. 2 overall pick while fellow French forward Zaccharie Risacher went to Atlanta at No. 1.

With Sarr's choice to skip the Hawks' workout, Fields may have a different prospect in mind when the team is on the clock as the first round of the draft begins on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.

With a pair of picks in the top 10 of Wednesday's NBA draft, the San Antonio Spurs are capable of making a move to the top of the draft board, but it sounds like that's not in their plans.

While speaking to ESPN's Jonathan Givony on The Lowe Post podcast (27:00 mark), Zach Lowe suggested that the Atlanta Hawks wouldn't be willing to give up the No. 1 pick in exchange for San Antonio's No. 4 and No. 8 picks, but Givony revealed that it's actually the Spurs who view that deal as "too rich."

Givony added that the Hawks would likely be interested in getting back a 2025 unprotected first-round pick that originally belonged to them, but the Spurs "aren't particularly interested in that, either."

It was also noted that San Antonio held a private workout over the weekend with French wing Zaccharie Risacher, who Givony predicted in his latest mock draft would be selected No. 1 by Atlanta.

Risacher also spent a year playing alongside Spurs star and reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, so the team could be motivated to try to pair the two of them up once again.

However, Risacher is unlikely to be on the board when San Antonio is ready to make a selection. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman also predicted that the 19-year-old will be the No. 1 pick by the Hawks in his most recent mock draft.

This offseason will be crucial for the Spurs as they try to end their rebuild by adding more talent around Wembanyama. Perhaps the team's best course would be to hold onto both picks and add a pair of top prospects who would create a strong foundation for the future.

There could potentially be some movement at the top of the 2024 NBA draft.

Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported that the Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockers are "listening to trade offers for their selections" in the first round. The Hawks, Wizards and Rockets own the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively.

O'Connor also reported that the Hawks are targeting UConn center Donovan Clingan but would prefer to move down to select him. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected that Clingan would go No. 6 in the draft in his latest mock draft, so the Hawks might have to find a trade in the top half of the lottery.

Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr and Reed Sheppard are among the prospects who could go in the top three. The reported availability of the top three selections means some chaos could occur on draft night.

The Hawks are at a crossroads, with players like Dejounte Murray, Trae Young and Clint Capela reportedly on the trade block. Atlanta went 36-46 and lost in the play-in tournament, so the Hawks front office needs to figure out the best path for the future.

The Wizards went 15-67 in the first year of their rebuild and desperately need more young talent. However, their biggest priority with the selection should be getting the highest value possible. A trade may be the best way to do that.

Houston is the closest to contention of the three teams, so moving the pick for a more NBA-ready player could be of great interest. The Rockets went 41-41 last season and finished just outside of the play-in tournament.

The first round of the NBA draft will take place June 26 at 8 p.m. ET.

The Los Angeles Lakers saw their quest to win another NBA title end prematurely, eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2023-24 playoffs.

The result? Greater desperation to get back and compete for the top prize in the game, beginning with the dismissal of head coach Darvin Ham and the hiring of ESPN analyst and former NBA player JJ Redick for the position.

A roster makeover may be next.

In an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the Hawks' Dejounte Murray is expected to be on the trade block this off-season and predicted the Lakers as a potential landing spot.

Adding Murray would be an upgrade for a Lakers team that needs it in order to realistically compete in a loaded Western Conference.

Coming off a star-making run in the 2022-23 playoffs, Austin Reaves underwhelmed in his first season as the starting shooting guard for the Lakers. With D'Angelo Russell all but gone via free agency, the team will greatly need to improve its guard situation.

Murray is coming off a year in which he averaged 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.4 steals for Atlanta. He played 35.7 minutes, shot 45.9 from the paint and 36.3 from beyond the arc.

He was also dependable, appearing in 78 games, the most since his 81-game 2016-17 season in San Antonio. Considering the rash of injuries that forced players to the sidelines over the course of this last season, having a star who can be counted on to play and play considerable minutes is something the Lakers need desperately.

Of course, there would be real questions about his ability to mesh with James and Davis, not to mention fit new head coach Redick's offense.

Still, he is an explosive offensive player who could provide a spark for a Lakers team that was a middle-of-the-pack 15th in terms of offensive rating in 2023-24 with 115.4.

The Lakers still need a player who will go get offensive rebounds, a category the team ranked second-to-last in this past season, but Murray will improve the squad as a whole and ensure it can score with the best the league has to offer.

French forward Alex Sarr isn't looking to execute the ultimate power play on the night of the 2024 NBA draft but would prefer the Washington Wizards over the Atlanta Hawks, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN addressed the situation with Givony on Monday's episode of his Hoop Collective podcast. He referenced in 2004 when Eli Manning didn't want to go to the San Diego Chargers in the NFL draft and wound up getting traded to the New York Giants after the Chargers selected him first overall.

Givony chimed in to say why the circumstances are different with Sarr.

"I've been told that it's not so much that Alex Sarr doesn't want to play for Atlanta as much as he prefers to play for the Washington Wizards," he said beginning at the 9:35 mark. "Maybe that's semantics, it's a polite way of saying it."

In his newest mock draft with Givony, ESPN's Jeremy Woo laid out why Sarr might see Washington as a more attractive fit.

"He is thought to be comfortable coming off the board one spot later, with the Wizards' younger roster offering a clearer path to playing time and an opportunity to grow into an expanded role," Woo wrote.

Sarr averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 27 games with the Perth Wildcats of Australia's NBL. He's widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2024 class.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Sarr to go second to the Wizards in his most recent mock, comparing him to Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr.

"Ideally, his game evolves into something similar to Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr., who blocks shots, drills threes and faces up with ease," Wasserman wrote in his scouting report. "Even if Sarr isn't creating effective or making shots, he should find ways to impact games around the basket at both ends, just like Jackson."

NBA insider Marc Stein reported on June 19 the Hawks, who have the No. 1 overall pick, hadn't to that point been able to schedule a personal workout with Sarr.

While that's seemingly a telling indicator as to the 19-year-old's feelings toward the organization, there's nothing that ultimately prevents Atlanta from taking him and figuring out the rest from there.

In their postmortem for the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2023-24 season, The Athletic's Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, Jason Lloyd reported in May how Evan Mobley's representatives "cautioned the Cavs prior to the 2021 draft not to select" him. Mobley has nonetheless spent the last three years in Cleveland and could be headed toward a massive extension.

The Hawks could use the general uncertainty around Sarr to their advantage. In Monday's mock, Givony reported some around the NBA believe Atlanta is giving the impression it will take the 7-footer to entice the Wizards to trade up from the No. 2 pick.

In most years, fans typically have a good idea of who's going first overall in the NBA draft because there's at least one prospect who stands above the rest. That kind of player isn't sitting on the board right now, and Sarr's unwillingness to meet with the Hawks only adds to the uncharacteristic intrigue surrounding the No. 1 pick.

The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly eyeing a potential trade centered around veteran big man Clint Capela, per Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer.

"Atlanta, sources said, continues to pursue deals for veteran center Clint Capela, who's entering the final year of a contract that still owes the 30-year-old rim protector $22 million," Fischer wrote.

Capela averaged 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game during the 2023-24 season. His numbers were slightly down from previous seasons, but he's still playing around the same level he has for most of his career.

The report comes less than a week before the NBA draft, where the Hawks hold the top overall pick. Atlanta has the chance to select a talented center to replace Capela while adding more pieces through a trade.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projects the Hawks to draft Zaccharie Risacher, a 6'8" shooting guard/small forward from France. If Atlanta drafts Risacher, keeping Capela around could be a smart move.

But the Hawks have also been tied to UConn big man Donovan Clingan and French center Alex Sarr. Should Atlanta pursue either of those players, moving Capela would make much more sense.

The Hawks still have time to decide, and whether or not they trade Capela could depend on what deal they get in return. A Capela trade would also likely influence their draft decision.