The Atlanta Hawks had an unexpected postponement on Saturday afternoon. Winter weather struck the Atlanta area over the weekend and, in an official release, it was announced that “the decision was made in consultation with local officials and to prioritize the safety of the players, fans and staff due to the severe weather and hazardous icy conditions in the Atlanta area.”
As such, the Hawks will have to make up a game against the Houston Rockets at a later date. That also left Atlanta with an extended break between games, with the next matchup on the agenda taking place on Tuesday at State Farm Arena against the Phoenix Suns. That matchup is a rematch from Atlanta’s last game, a competitive loss on the road last week, and the Hawks will aim to nudge above the .500 mark with a win.
In the meantime, the Locked On Hawks Podcast used the mini-break to take a mid-season look at the 2025 NBA Draft with the help of draft expert Brian Schroeder. On a two-part episode, the show examined the top of the class, headlined by Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, but also an interesting class of centers.
The Hawks have a pair of expiring contracts at center in Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr., leaving some uncertainty at the position moving forward. Atlanta does have Onyeka Okongwu on a very reasonable contract, but Okongwu has not fully broken out as a clear starter for the future. Even if he does, the Hawks will need to secure depth and size at the position through either the draft, free agency, or a trade.
Duke’s Khaman Maluach, Maryland’s Derik Queen, and Georgetown’s Thomas Sorber are all potential top-20 picks at the position. Georgia’s Asa Newell is a projected lottery pick, though he could play both the 4 and 5 positions at the NBA level. In short, the Hawks will have options in their projected range for the 2025 draft, prompting many questions from the fan base on which players might fit best. Regardless, Atlanta might have two first round picks in 2025, depending on the efforts of the Sacramento Kings, and it is a storyline of interest over the next five months.
