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Why the Hawks Need the No. 1 Pick More Than Any Team in the NBA Draft Lottery | Deadspin.com   With the NBA Draft Lottery less than 12 hours away, the Atlanta Hawks stand to alter their franchise trajectory the most by nabbing the No. 1 pick – at least in the immediate term. They may have clinched the top spot two short years ago with 3 percent odds, but not all No. 1 picks are created equal. Besides, the backstory of their 2026 lottery plight adds all the more intrigue.Roster ResilienceAfter promoting General Manager Onsi Saleh and admirably re-tooling around Trae Young during the 2025 offseason, the Hawks 2025-26 campaign was about as turbulent and unpredictable as it gets. Trae sprained his MCL in late-October and it was not long before murmurings of Atlanta being better without him emerged. All the while internal tensions grew.Within three months, Saleh and Co. replaced Trae Young and Kristaps Porziņģis with C.J. McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga – ultimately reloading their rotation and shifting identities on the fly with Jalen Johnson taking the mantle as franchise player. A series of events that would have derailed a season for most teams but only served to strengthen ATL’s collective resolve. It is that type of organizational adaptability and resourcefulness that render Atlanta proved a suitable landing spot for a blue-chip prospect.Pulling a Rabbit Out of a HatAtlanta’s upper management preyed on newly-hired New Orleans Pelicans Executive Joe Dumars’ infatuation with Derik Queen by voluntarily moving down ten spots in the 2025 NBA Draft. The compensation? Rights to the better of New Orleans and Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round pick in the 2026 lottery – a 6.8 percent and 3 percent chance at the No. 1 pick respectively. It remains as shocking a move now as it did at the time, and Atlanta’s side of the bargain is about to come to a head.High-end bites at the lottery apple like this are a luxury that every team dreams of stumbling upon. Not only would being drawn No. 1 have franchise-altering ramifications, but the lore of how it came about would go down as one of the greatest transactional triumphs in recent memory.Hugging the MiddleSince their exciting, but fruitless, 60-win season in 2014-15, Atlanta has a cumulative regular season record of 658-701. Dwindle that sample size down to the last six seasons, their aggregate record is 247-235. As the internet would say, the Hawks have been as “mid” as an NBA franchise could possibly be for more than a decade.That being said, there is a distinct sense of respectability in remaining competent all these years. While they have never quite risen to contender status – depending on how you classify their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run – they have an air of persistence about them. Year-to-year competitiveness in a league that increasingly resorts to pulling the plug and bottoming out. Atlanta is more than likely one piece away from breaking through the ceiling of mediocrity that has plagued them for years. It just so happens that this is the perfect draft pool to twist their fate.A Pre-existing CoreLast but not least, the Hawks already have a young, Playoff-tested nucleus to complement a prospective franchise cornerstone. After rising to an All-NBA level and testing his mettle as a go-to guy in the Playoffs, Jalen Johnson profiles as the perfect second option of a championship-hopeful roster. Onyeka Okongwu has cemented himself as their incumbent big man with defensive mobility and newfound shooting chops. Dyson Daniels boasts all-league perimeter defense with a burgeoning offensive game. Meanwhile Nickeil Alexander-Walker broke out as an upper-echelon starter and 20-point scorer on a nightly basis with a team-friendly contract until 2028.Whether it be AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, or Caleb Wilson, Atlanta has the personnel and infrastructure to accommodate, and develop, a future franchise superstar while winning at a high level every step.   #Hawks #Pick #Team #NBA #Draft #Lottery #Deadspin.com

Why the Hawks Need the No. 1 Pick More Than Any Team in the NBA Draft Lottery | Deadspin.com

With the NBA Draft Lottery less than 12 hours away, the Atlanta Hawks stand to alter their franchise trajectory the most by nabbing the No. 1 pick – at least in the immediate term. They may have clinched the top spot two short years ago with 3 percent odds, but not all No. 1 picks are created equal. 

Besides, the backstory of their 2026 lottery plight adds all the more intrigue.

Roster Resilience

After promoting General Manager Onsi Saleh and admirably re-tooling around Trae Young during the 2025 offseason, the Hawks 2025-26 campaign was about as turbulent and unpredictable as it gets. Trae sprained his MCL in late-October and it was not long before murmurings of Atlanta being better without him emerged. All the while internal tensions grew.

Within three months, Saleh and Co. replaced Trae Young and Kristaps Porziņģis with C.J. McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga – ultimately reloading their rotation and shifting identities on the fly with Jalen Johnson taking the mantle as franchise player. A series of events that would have derailed a season for most teams but only served to strengthen ATL’s collective resolve. It is that type of organizational adaptability and resourcefulness that render Atlanta proved a suitable landing spot for a blue-chip prospect.

Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat

Atlanta’s upper management preyed on newly-hired New Orleans Pelicans Executive Joe Dumars’ infatuation with Derik Queen by voluntarily moving down ten spots in the 2025 NBA Draft. The compensation? Rights to the better of New Orleans and Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round pick in the 2026 lottery – a 6.8 percent and 3 percent chance at the No. 1 pick respectively. It remains as shocking a move now as it did at the time, and Atlanta’s side of the bargain is about to come to a head.

High-end bites at the lottery apple like this are a luxury that every team dreams of stumbling upon. Not only would being drawn No. 1 have franchise-altering ramifications, but the lore of how it came about would go down as one of the greatest transactional triumphs in recent memory.

Hugging the Middle

Since their exciting, but fruitless, 60-win season in 2014-15, Atlanta has a cumulative regular season record of 658-701. Dwindle that sample size down to the last six seasons, their aggregate record is 247-235. As the internet would say, the Hawks have been as “mid” as an NBA franchise could possibly be for more than a decade.

That being said, there is a distinct sense of respectability in remaining competent all these years. While they have never quite risen to contender status – depending on how you classify their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run – they have an air of persistence about them. Year-to-year competitiveness in a league that increasingly resorts to pulling the plug and bottoming out. Atlanta is more than likely one piece away from breaking through the ceiling of mediocrity that has plagued them for years. It just so happens that this is the perfect draft pool to twist their fate.

A Pre-existing Core

Last but not least, the Hawks already have a young, Playoff-tested nucleus to complement a prospective franchise cornerstone. After rising to an All-NBA level and testing his mettle as a go-to guy in the Playoffs, Jalen Johnson profiles as the perfect second option of a championship-hopeful roster. Onyeka Okongwu has cemented himself as their incumbent big man with defensive mobility and newfound shooting chops. Dyson Daniels boasts all-league perimeter defense with a burgeoning offensive game. Meanwhile Nickeil Alexander-Walker broke out as an upper-echelon starter and 20-point scorer on a nightly basis with a team-friendly contract until 2028.

Whether it be AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, or Caleb Wilson, Atlanta has the personnel and infrastructure to accommodate, and develop, a future franchise superstar while winning at a high level every step.

#Hawks #Pick #Team #NBA #Draft #Lottery #Deadspin.com

With the NBA Draft Lottery less than 12 hours away, the Atlanta Hawks stand to alter their franchise trajectory the most by nabbing the No. 1 pick – at least in the immediate term. They may have clinched the top spot two short years ago with 3 percent odds, but not all No. 1 picks are created equal. 

Besides, the backstory of their 2026 lottery plight adds all the more intrigue.

Roster Resilience

After promoting General Manager Onsi Saleh and admirably re-tooling around Trae Young during the 2025 offseason, the Hawks 2025-26 campaign was about as turbulent and unpredictable as it gets. Trae sprained his MCL in late-October and it was not long before murmurings of Atlanta being better without him emerged. All the while internal tensions grew.

Within three months, Saleh and Co. replaced Trae Young and Kristaps Porziņģis with C.J. McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga – ultimately reloading their rotation and shifting identities on the fly with Jalen Johnson taking the mantle as franchise player. A series of events that would have derailed a season for most teams but only served to strengthen ATL’s collective resolve. It is that type of organizational adaptability and resourcefulness that render Atlanta proved a suitable landing spot for a blue-chip prospect.

Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat

Atlanta’s upper management preyed on newly-hired New Orleans Pelicans Executive Joe Dumars’ infatuation with Derik Queen by voluntarily moving down ten spots in the 2025 NBA Draft. The compensation? Rights to the better of New Orleans and Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round pick in the 2026 lottery – a 6.8 percent and 3 percent chance at the No. 1 pick respectively. It remains as shocking a move now as it did at the time, and Atlanta’s side of the bargain is about to come to a head.

High-end bites at the lottery apple like this are a luxury that every team dreams of stumbling upon. Not only would being drawn No. 1 have franchise-altering ramifications, but the lore of how it came about would go down as one of the greatest transactional triumphs in recent memory.

Hugging the Middle

Since their exciting, but fruitless, 60-win season in 2014-15, Atlanta has a cumulative regular season record of 658-701. Dwindle that sample size down to the last six seasons, their aggregate record is 247-235. As the internet would say, the Hawks have been as “mid” as an NBA franchise could possibly be for more than a decade.

That being said, there is a distinct sense of respectability in remaining competent all these years. While they have never quite risen to contender status – depending on how you classify their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run – they have an air of persistence about them. Year-to-year competitiveness in a league that increasingly resorts to pulling the plug and bottoming out. Atlanta is more than likely one piece away from breaking through the ceiling of mediocrity that has plagued them for years. It just so happens that this is the perfect draft pool to twist their fate.

A Pre-existing Core

Last but not least, the Hawks already have a young, Playoff-tested nucleus to complement a prospective franchise cornerstone. After rising to an All-NBA level and testing his mettle as a go-to guy in the Playoffs, Jalen Johnson profiles as the perfect second option of a championship-hopeful roster. Onyeka Okongwu has cemented himself as their incumbent big man with defensive mobility and newfound shooting chops. Dyson Daniels boasts all-league perimeter defense with a burgeoning offensive game. Meanwhile Nickeil Alexander-Walker broke out as an upper-echelon starter and 20-point scorer on a nightly basis with a team-friendly contract until 2028.

Whether it be AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, or Caleb Wilson, Atlanta has the personnel and infrastructure to accommodate, and develop, a future franchise superstar while winning at a high level every step.

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#Hawks #Pick #Team #NBA #Draft #Lottery #Deadspin.com

INDIANAPOLIS — It’ll be hard to find any contest this WNBA season that compares to Thursday’s Fever-Aces showdown.

Both teams had enormous scoring runs across the first three quarters, then played down to the final buzzer in overtime and regulation. A pair of costly miscues from Caitlin Clark at the end of each segment set up Chelsea Gray for two buzzer beaters, the first to send the game to the extra session and the second to give the Aces an improbable win.

“We still battled,” Clark said postgame. “We still fought and we put ourselves in position to win the game and then, honestly, it was me that made costly errors for us. So that’s on me to help us win. That’s my job. That’s what I get paid to do.”

No game is decided by the play or mistakes of one player, but Clark’s late faux pas will certainly draw attention, as is the case with everything she does.

At the end of regulation, both Clark and Mitchell had chances to ice the game away at the line in the final seconds. The latter split her pair, missing the second before A’ja Wilson stepped out of bounds to turn the ball over while trying to save it.

Clark would eventually get to the line with seven seconds left and the chance to make it a two-possession game with Indiana up 75-72. She would miss both looks, keeping the door open for Las Vegas. Gray took full advantage, coming up with a loose ball on a broken play before calmly burying a long-range look to tie the game.

“This can’t happen,” Clark said. “Those are free throws I usually make. Certainly frustrating. Obviously, one of them gives us a two-possession lead and I kind of cost my team there for sure. So that’s on me.”

The two teams traded baskets throughout the extra session with Wilson and Mitchell doing the lion’s share of the scoring for their respective teams. Eventually, the Fever found themselves in a familiar spot, leading by one with just under 30 seconds remaining.

A bit of confusion and miscommunication left Clark standing near mid-court with Wilson, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, in front of her, 30 feet from the basket. Despite the situation, Clark could not create a shot and turned the ball over after Wilson tipped a pass in the air and corralled it. The Aces did not call a timeout and raced down the court before Gray capped off her heroics with the game-winner.

All that came after some huge momentum swings in the first three frames. The Fever were flying up and down the court in the second period, blowing the game open with a 24-4 run to take a 42-22 lead with four minutes left in the first half.

In direct response, the Aces scored the final 15 points of the second period and the first seven points of the third quarter to take the lead. In the end, the Aces went on a 40-11 run that spanned their largest deficit and largest lead of the game, the latter coming at 62-53 early in the fourth.

Clark certainly had a role in pulling Indiana back into the game, including a pair of big threes that gave Indiana the lead, the latter coming with 1:48 left. An Aliyah Boston puback off her own miss put the hosts ahead 74-72 with 30 seconds left before the Fever forced a miss from Wilson to set up the frantic finish.

Postgame, Clark willingly shouldered the blame for the loss. However, on a night when the Fever turned the ball over 21 times, gave up 12 offensive rebounds and shot 35% in the second half, her head coach wouldn’t let her.

“I think you like that as ownership,” Stephanie White said. “But as an athlete and as a coach and as somebody who’s been around for a long time, it doesn’t come down to one singular thing. Like we know that. She’s disappointed in herself certainly, as I’m sure a lot of our players are. But we got to use it as fuel.

“And she’s going to be better. I know she’s going to be better on Saturday because of it. I mean she’s a competitor. She’s a fighter…But it doesn’t come down to one thing and I know, again, it’s easy to look at it and think that it does, but it was a collection of things. If we cut our turnovers in half, it’s a different ballgame.”

#Caitlin #Clark #takes #blame #wild #Fever #loss #Aces #happen">Caitlin Clark takes blame in wild Fever loss to Aces: ‘This can’t happen’  INDIANAPOLIS — It’ll be hard to find any contest this WNBA season that compares to Thursday’s Fever-Aces showdown.Both teams had enormous scoring runs across the first three quarters, then played down to the final buzzer in overtime and regulation. A pair of costly miscues from Caitlin Clark at the end of each segment set up Chelsea Gray for two buzzer beaters, the first to send the game to the extra session and the second to give the Aces an improbable win.“We still battled,” Clark said postgame. “We still fought and we put ourselves in position to win the game and then, honestly, it was me that made costly errors for us. So that’s on me to help us win. That’s my job. That’s what I get paid to do.”No game is decided by the play or mistakes of one player, but Clark’s late faux pas will certainly draw attention, as is the case with everything she does.At the end of regulation, both Clark and Mitchell had chances to ice the game away at the line in the final seconds. The latter split her pair, missing the second before A’ja Wilson stepped out of bounds to turn the ball over while trying to save it.Clark would eventually get to the line with seven seconds left and the chance to make it a two-possession game with Indiana up 75-72. She would miss both looks, keeping the door open for Las Vegas. Gray took full advantage, coming up with a loose ball on a broken play before calmly burying a long-range look to tie the game.“This can’t happen,” Clark said. “Those are free throws I usually make. Certainly frustrating. Obviously, one of them gives us a two-possession lead and I kind of cost my team there for sure. So that’s on me.”The two teams traded baskets throughout the extra session with Wilson and Mitchell doing the lion’s share of the scoring for their respective teams. Eventually, the Fever found themselves in a familiar spot, leading by one with just under 30 seconds remaining.A bit of confusion and miscommunication left Clark standing near mid-court with Wilson, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, in front of her, 30 feet from the basket. Despite the situation, Clark could not create a shot and turned the ball over after Wilson tipped a pass in the air and corralled it. The Aces did not call a timeout and raced down the court before Gray capped off her heroics with the game-winner.All that came after some huge momentum swings in the first three frames. The Fever were flying up and down the court in the second period, blowing the game open with a 24-4 run to take a 42-22 lead with four minutes left in the first half.In direct response, the Aces scored the final 15 points of the second period and the first seven points of the third quarter to take the lead. In the end, the Aces went on a 40-11 run that spanned their largest deficit and largest lead of the game, the latter coming at 62-53 early in the fourth.Clark certainly had a role in pulling Indiana back into the game, including a pair of big threes that gave Indiana the lead, the latter coming with 1:48 left. An Aliyah Boston puback off her own miss put the hosts ahead 74-72 with 30 seconds left before the Fever forced a miss from Wilson to set up the frantic finish.Postgame, Clark willingly shouldered the blame for the loss. However, on a night when the Fever turned the ball over 21 times, gave up 12 offensive rebounds and shot 35% in the second half, her head coach wouldn’t let her.“I think you like that as ownership,” Stephanie White said. “But as an athlete and as a coach and as somebody who’s been around for a long time, it doesn’t come down to one singular thing. Like we know that. She’s disappointed in herself certainly, as I’m sure a lot of our players are. But we got to use it as fuel.“And she’s going to be better. I know she’s going to be better on Saturday because of it. I mean she’s a competitor. She’s a fighter…But it doesn’t come down to one thing and I know, again, it’s easy to look at it and think that it does, but it was a collection of things. If we cut our turnovers in half, it’s a different ballgame.”  #Caitlin #Clark #takes #blame #wild #Fever #loss #Aces #happen

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