Hawks Hold No. 23 Pick — and a Stashed Trade That Could Shake Up the Draft

The Atlanta Hawks are sitting on a pair of first-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, and league insiders are buzzing that the front office might be cooking up something far bigger than meets the eye. With the No. 8 pick already a major talking point, sources say the real drama could unfold 15 spots later—where the Hawks are reportedly ready to play hardball.

The No. 23 Pick Is Officially on the Block, Sources Say

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Hawks have quietly signaled to rival teams that the No. 23 pick is absolutely available. “League sources say that Atlanta has informed rival teams that it will happily field offers for No. 23,” Fischer reported. The Hawks picked up that second first-rounder in a deal with Cleveland, but whispers from the front office suggest they’d rather make just one selection—and they’re open to listening on the other.

This isn’t just about moving down or swapping picks, though. One rival executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, told us the Hawks could be packaging that pick with a current player to swing a deal that reshapes their roster. “They’re playing chess, not checkers,” the exec said. “Don’t be shocked if they use that pick to offload salary or bring in a veteran who can contribute right now.”

Flashback to a Similar Move That Shook the League

If this sounds familiar, it should. Last season, the Hawks pulled off a three-team stunner involving the No. 22 pick, sending it and Terance Mann to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis. The move was a bold bet on playoff depth, and sources close to the Hawks say the brass might be looking to replicate that kind of creativity. “They’ve done it before, and they’re not afraid to do it again,” a league insider told us. “Other teams know Atlanta is willing to be aggressive.”

The No. 8 Pick Drama—Could a Trade-Down Actually Happen?

While the trade chatter around pick 23 is heating up, it’s the No. 8 selection that has fans and front offices on edge. ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported that the Hawks are “high on” guards Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr., but sources say they’ve also got their eyes on Michigan center Aday Mara. The dilemma: take a guard to lock down the backcourt long-term, or trade down a few spots and snag Mara as a big-man project?

“Both Wagler and Brown are two guards the Hawks love,” Siegel wrote, citing source intel. “Aday Mara is another player sources say the Hawks are high on, yet conversations with league personnel continue to point in the direction of Atlanta favoring a guard in this spot to secure their backcourt long-term rather than target Mara.”

But here’s where things get juicy. If the Hawks do trade down from No. 8, one personnel analyst speculated that Mara would be the obvious target—and that could free up even more capital for a second deal involving the No. 23 pick. “This isn’t just one move,” the analyst said. “This looks like a multi-step plan to reshape the entire roster.”

What Does This Mean for the Hawks’ Future?

For now, it’s a waiting game. The Hawks have options—more than most teams realize. Whether they use the No. 23 pick to dump salary, add a rotation piece, or simply keep it and surprise everyone, insiders say the phone lines are already buzzing. One Western Conference scout summed it up: “Atlanta is the team to watch. They’ve got assets, they’ve got flexibility, and they’ve got a plan. The rest of the league is on notice.”