Atlanta’s draft picture for next summer is already coming into focus, and the Hawks may be looking at another lottery swing once the NCAA season settles in.
The team is set to receive the least favorable pick between the New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks, which still leaves Atlanta positioned to land a lottery selection. With Kingston Flemings already showing growth in his first nine games as the newest starting point guard, the next wave of scouting is underway.
One name that fits the Hawks’ mold is Hugo Yimga-Moukouri, a forward for Nanterre 92. Atlanta has leaned on the international market before, and the idea here is simple: add another athletic wing who can help the second unit. With Zaccharie Risacher traded and Dorian Finney-Smith still not making an impact, the Hawks could use the kind of versatile body Yimga-Moukouri brings.
At 6-foot-9, he’s the kind of athlete who stands out immediately. He can rise for blocks, finish lobs, and cover ground in a hurry.
That matters in Quin Snyder’s system, where pace and transition are baked into the identity. Yimga-Moukouri runs the floor well, and that opens the door for him to become another fast-break target for Jalen Johnson after defensive rebounds.
There’s also some shooting upside to work with. Yimga-Moukouri can stretch the floor in theory, but the jumper is still a work in progress after he shot just 29.7% from deep.
The release is quick, though, which is why the upside remains interesting. If Atlanta develops him the way it did Dyson Daniels, he could grow into another 3-and-D option off the bench.
He already has the frame for it, too: 18 years old, 230 pounds, and a 6-foot-10 wingspan.
Another possible fit is Baylor guard Dylan Mingo. On the surface, a second point guard might seem unnecessary, but Atlanta’s roster math could make that kind of move make sense.
CJ McCollum signed a one-year, $20 million deal, yet he’s closer to retirement than ever and remains an expensive piece. President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh also has bigger financial questions ahead, including Onyeka Okongwu’s potential extension.
The 25-year-old could be in line for a raise, while 27-year-old Lu Dort will be an unrestricted free agent.
That’s where Mingo becomes interesting. If the Hawks need a cheaper guard option down the line, he could fit that lane.
The 6-foot-5 guard is a strong finisher at the rim, and his touch around the basket has produced some eye-catching layups. He can defend, too.
In 2025, he was named Nike EYBL 17U Defensive MVP, even with Beckham Black and Tyran Stokes in the same field. He’s been overlooked compared with some of the bigger names, but most mock drafts still place him in the late lottery, which keeps him in Atlanta’s range.
Braylon Mullins of UConn rounds out the group, and he may be the cleanest stylistic match of the three. The 19-year-old guard has the kind of offensive upside that teams are willing to wait on, especially if the shooting translates the way it flashed against Providence last season. In UConn’s 103-98 win, Mullins went 6-10 from beyond the three-point line and showed polished form.
If Atlanta wants to keep building around shooting and spacing, Mullins makes sense as another future weapon for Flemings. The Hawks have already shown they can help develop a jumper, and the hope would be that their staff could do the same for him.
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Hawks Frontcourt Faces Another Test With One Key Status Still Unclear
Jalen Johnsons status remains one of the bigger questions hanging over Atlantas frontcourt as the Hawks get ready to face the Wizards. Johnson is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain and has already missed the last two games, leaving Quin Snyder to keep sorting through a rotation that is already thin with several other Hawks expected to sit because of injuries.
Asa Newell is also on the report, along with Jock Landale, Keshon Gilbert, Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar, which only adds to the challenge of piecing together enough size and depth for the matchup. Snyder has pointed to Zuby Ejiofors recent play as a bright spot, praising the way he fits into Atlantas defensive identity, but the bigger issue for the Hawks is how much they can ask of that front line if Johnson is not available again. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Rookie Has A Rare Chance To Challenge A Franchise Icon
Kingston Flemings is already getting a kind of rookie assignment most first-year players never see. The recent top-ten pick stepped into his first career start against Washington and handled the moment well enough to help Atlanta come away with a victory, a strong early sign that the Hawks are willing to put real responsibility on his shoulders right away.
The next meeting with the Wizards brings an even more unusual wrinkle, because Flemings is expected to start again while sharing the floor with Trae Young, one of the franchises defining names. For a rookie still settling into the league, it is a rare chance to measure himself in a game that carries both immediate stakes and a little extra symbolism for a Hawks team that has already shown it trusts him in a bigger role than most first-year players get. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Frontcourt Just Took Another Hit Fans Wont Like
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Keshon Gilbert also remains out after undergoing a non-surgical procedure for left knee inflammation, and he is due to be reevaluated in roughly six weeks. With several Hawks still on the shelf, the injury list is starting to shape the teams day-to-day options in a way that could force more lineup shuffling than anyone in Atlanta would like. [Read more 🡒]