Hawks Reportedly Trade Up With Pelicans to No. 4 Pick to Select DeAndre Hunter
By Jerry Trotta
Let the pre-draft mayhem begin!
Moments after Shams Charania broke the news that the first three picks of the 2019 NBA Draft were reportedly already set in stone, fellow NBA gurus Chris Haynes (first report) and Adrian Wojnarowski (details) have dropped a major follow-up development.
The Hawks have traded up to the No. 4 overall pick to reportedly select former Virginia star DeAndre Hunter. The Pelicans will receive picks No. 8, 17, and 35, and will send Solomon Hill, the No.57 overall pick, and a future second-rounder to Atlanta.
Atlanta is pursuing Virginia's DeAndre Hunter with the No. 4 pick, league sources tell ESPN. Atlanta GM Travis Schlenk makes a big move in lottery second year in a row to get his man. Last year, it was Trae Young. This time, DeAndre Hunter.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2019
Solomon Hill Contract
Hill is in the final season of a four-year, $48 million deal, and will earn $12,758, 781 this season, recording a cap hit of the exact same figure. He'll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and presumably will be dangled as an expiring contract repeatedly throughout the year.
Landing Trae Young and presumably Hunter is not too shabby at all for Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk.
With Hunter, Atlanta is getting an NBA-ready body with the athleticism and length to defend four positions. Additionally, he shot the 3-pointer at a 43.8% last season for the Cavaliers. And we all know how much NBA offenses like to stretch defenses nowadays.
New Orleans is close to an agreement that will give Atlanta the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 20, 2019
The Pelicans, on the other hand, who will almost definitely select Zion Williamson at No. 1, now have two other first round selections at their disposal.
This is just the beginning of what is likely to be a crazy Draft night.