It’s draft day, baby.
And the Hawks, well … they’re one first-round pick lighter than they were yesterday.
But at least they have a tall Latvian guy to show for it.
Quick links: Braves stay hot | Dream drop one | United starts anew | Chase Elliott’s paint job
NEW HAWKS EN ROUTE
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Kid must be a Kristaps Porzingis fan.
The Hawks kicked off the draft shenanigans a little early, trading their No. 22 pick — plus Terance Mann and Georges Niang — in a three-team deal that ultimately brings Porzingis to Atlanta via Boston.
Is that good? Probably!
To be clear, the Hawks still have the No. 13 pick in tonight’s draft (8 p.m. on ABC and ESPN). More on that momentarily.
As for Porzingis: He’s a 7-foot-2 center with an injury history. But when he’s healthy, he’s pretty darn good: He averaged just shy of 20 points and seven rebounds per game last season.
He also has skills Atlanta wants.
- “With the acquisition of Porzingis, a career 36.6% shooter from 3-point range, the Hawks gain size and another center who can stretch the floor,” AJC beat reporter Lauren Williams wrote.
The deal (which, it should be noted, also helps Atlanta dump Mann’s unfriendly contract) can’t become official until July 6.
🎯 Draft picks can though — and here’s what to expect from No. 13.
In a conversation with reporters before the Porzingis trade, general manager Onsi Saleh confirmed the Hawks will draft in best-player-available mode (try not to shudder, Falcons fans, that’s pretty normal).
More into qualitative nouns? The new GM says he likes players with “competitiveness, toughness, resilience and adaptability.”
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
The bigger context: The Hawks dismissed Landry Fields and promoted Saleh to the GM role just two months ago. The draft is the first real look we’ll get at Saleh’s philosophy for the future.
Also: This offseason may be the last best chance for the Hawks front office to impress star guard Trae Young and convince him to stick around beyond the 2025-26 campaign.
Our best guess: In the AJC’s mock draft, Lauren pointed to the Hawks taking Egor Demin, a 6-foot-8 guard out of Brigham Young.
- “The Hawks need to continue to add size around Young,” Lauren wrote, “as well as another playmaker who can keep the offense running when the veteran goes to the bench.”
Demin’s a popular pick among other analysts, too.
Other local angles: Future Hawks or not, there are two big Atlanta-area products worth watching.
- Ace Bailey, the one-year Rutgers star from McEachern High, could go top five.
- Then there’s Asa Newell, an Atlanta native and former Georgia Bulldog. His projections are pretty all over the place.
We grow ‘em good in the Peach State. Hopefully the Hawks can import another one worth the cost of shipping.
SCORES AND SUCH
⚾ The Braves fell behind on the hottest night in Citi Field history (really!) but started stacking up walks and threw in a few clutch hits to beat the Mets 7-4. That’s five in a row against New York, y’all.
- Up next: Game 3 from Queens. Youngster Didier Fuentes gets the start for Atlanta.
🏀 The Dream endured a shooting nightmare in Dallas, making less than 24% of their attempts en route to a 68-55 loss to the Wings. The Atlanta bench scored … five points.
- Up next: The 12-1 Minnesota Lynx come to College Park on Friday night (7:30 p.m. on Ion).
⚽ Atlanta United returns from a two-week breather tonight with a game at the Columbus Crew (7:30 p.m. on Apple TV). Manager Ronny Deila is confident the team can rebound from the worst start in franchise history. Sort of?
- “We are where we are because we deserve it, and then we have to make it that we deserve something more,” he said.
FOOD BY THE BENZ?
Credit: John Spink/AJC
Credit: John Spink/AJC
We interrupt your “actual sports news” for this important bulletin: They may fill that weird greenspace-and-concrete area between Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena … with restaurants and stuff.
In fact, the Georgia World Congress Center folks are using words like “Avalon” and “Battery” when pitching their (still very preliminary) plans for site.
🔗 Bonus sports link: The Falcons’ five most important games
“We want to look at restaurants and names that people are familiar with in and around Atlanta — local chefs that people are familiar with,” one official told the AJC’s Kelly Yamanouchi.
This would help address the relative dearth of hangout spots in the area — though the massive Gulch glow-up across the street figures to help on that front, too.
ALSO INTERESTING
🫡 The AJC Peachtree Road Race rapidly approaches. Meet the newly announced winners who will sing the national anthem beforehand.
🤔 Comedian Shane Gillis is set to host the ESPYs next month. Genuine question: Do people still watch that?
😬 Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says he’s “pretty sure” the upcoming NFL season is his last. And I’m “pretty sure” that would be good for everyone.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports
Credit: Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports
Chase Elliott, the NASCAR-driving pride of North Georgia, will be behind the wheel of a very special car for during this weekend’s race at Hampton’s EchoPark Speedway.
Rhealynn Mills, an 11-year-old cancer patient from Thomasville, designed the nurse-centric paint scheme.
And, as the AJC’s Fletcher Page reports, Elliott’s decadelong effort to give back is rooted in a very personal experience.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Everyone that I've met, just the attitude that they've had, is extremely inspiring to me.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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