Both of our first round selections are considered to be in their optimal draft situation!!!
The NBA draft's best, riskiest and most surprising moves
Which lottery pick is in the best situation to succeed?
MIke Schmitz: De'Andre Hunter in Atlanta. The former Virginia standout and national champion can focus on what he does best -- defending everyone and making open shots. With Trae Young shouldering the bulk of the offense and Kevin Huerter and John Collins also poised to be in shot-creation situations, Hunter's ballhandling limitations and so-so feel won't be as exposed. While most top-four picks are thrust into a featured role early on, Hunter can stick to the same script that landed him so high in the first place.
Jonathan Givony: Cam Reddish in Atlanta. Reddish's talent is undeniable, and at No. 10 he was certainly worth taking a flyer on, especially since he won't be called upon to do too much in terms of shot-creation, which should accentuate his strengths. Reddish is an excellent fit alongside the pick-and-roll passing prowess of Trae Young, who should generate quite a few open looks for him.
ESPN InsiderBest prospect fits
Cam Reddish — Not all fits have to be team-oriented. For me, this is a perfect fit for Reddish as a player to start his career. The Hawks will be playing in a relatively low-stakes setting early on, which should help Reddish settle in a bit to start his career, something he didn’t get the chance to do at Duke after Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett joined the team following Reddish’s signature. At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and a lot of body control and fluid athleticism, Reddish can help lead the break, grab and go after grabbing rebounds, and potentially defend multiple positions. Also, on the floor, Atlanta’s emphasis on floor spacing should help Reddish’s biggest offensive concern, finishing around the basket. As long as he can iron out his shooting efficiency from distance — something that should be very doable if he can just work on staying straight up and down and not fading off balance — Trae Young should be able to feed him open 3-point looks. It’s a very advantageous opportunity for him, and I’d expect him to thrive with Atlanta.
De’Andre Hunter — Back to Atlanta, except this time let’s focus on how the player fits what they need instead of the vice versa. The thing that the Hawks needed above all was a player who could act as a high-level 3-and-D player. That 3-and-D guy needed to be someone who could occasionally take tough assignments on positions as diverse as lead guard and bigger forwards. And then he also needed to be able to knock down 3s to best be able to take advantage of Young’s skill as a distributor. In Hunter, they found all of those skills as long as he keeps working on quickening up his release on his jumper so that he can take a higher volume. It might have cost a high price to get him, but players like Hunter are exceedingly difficult to find on the trade market, and tough to find frugally in free agency. Assuming there is upside left in his game — and I personally believe that there is, despite his age — Hunter should be the perfect 3/4 to play next to Young, Kevin Huerter, and John Collins.
The Athletic
