Atlanta did something a little surprising Tuesday night in the first round of the NBA Draft.
Many figured the Hawks would go with size and choose 7-foot-3 Aday Mara out of Michigan at No. 8 overall to get a jumbo center in the fold.
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Instead, they opted for 6-foot-3 lead guard Kingston Flemings from Houston.
It’s not a bad pick, but with CJ McCollum re-signing for next season, it made sense that Atlanta would opt for size to shore up their frontline to complement Jalen Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga.
Flemings, however, is the long-term solution at point guard for this young team, meaning the organization put a larger emphasis on additional playmaking.
This suggests the Hawks wanted more on-ball help for Johnson so they don’t overtax their All-Star forward, prioritized lineup symmetry and will possibly look to add size later in the draft or in free agency.
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Regardless, Atlanta is a team to track next season.
Flemings is a ridiculously intriguing young lead guard who can score at three levels, has strong court vision and reliable decision-making, even at such a young age.
Will he have a huge impact on the Hawks in Year 1? Probably not, but that’s not the play here. This is a long-term vision the Hawks are initiating and rightfully so.
