Hawk-some Future
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Post draft grades are about as useful as a witness protection program for Wil Byers.
So, instead of handing out a grade for each of Atlanta’s three picks, here is what you can expect to see from them; good and bad.
DeAndre Hunter: I’ll say this, while Danny Ainge’s love affair with draft picks leads me to believe the entire first round will comprise of Boston picks five years now, Atlanta GM Travis Schlenk released his inner “Brewster’s Millions” and spent them all, in one way or another.
The biggest move he made was trading the 8th and 17th pick to get Hunter at #4. After seeing Williamson, Morant, and Barrett go off the board, it’s difficult to get overly excited about Hunter, but I like the pick.
During his two years at Virginia he proved to be one of the better defenders in college ball and is an underrated scorer.
His upside isn’t as high some others, including the Hawks 8th pick which I’ll get to in a minute, but he’s as solid a player as you’ll come across in this year’s group. Hunter has all the makings of a solid 12-15 year career, something the Hawks will more than happy with.
Cam Reddish: Winston Churchill once stated “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key”. He was referencing Russia, but he may as well have been talking about Reddish some 80 years later.
As a Duke fan I watched just about every game this season and I have no idea what to expect from the least heralded, but most complete, of the three Duke freshman.
Some analysts have questioned his dedication due to his tendency to “disappear” for stretches, as well as his desire to play defense; neither of which I completely agree with.
Yes, Reddish has admitted he needs to improve his work ethic, but I think he fell into the trap many of us did this year, star gazing at his more accomplished peers.
Also, he’s a young kid who was just inconsistent on the offensive end; nothing more, nothing less.
As for the defense, I never saw him slack off on that end of the court, and in fact, most Duke insiders will tell you his defensive movement and understanding surprised the coaches more than anything.
I have no idea what the key is to unleash his full potential, but if Lloyd Pierce can figure it out, the Hawks may have gotten the steal of the draft.
