The Real Winners of the Draft Lottery: The Atlanta Hawks

The NBA buzz this week has been all about how Portland and Seattle struck gold. Yeah, with a chance to draft to of the highest rated draft prospects in the last ten years, I'd say that they both did pretty well for themselves. However, there is probably one other team that feels like they hit the jackpot on Tuesday. That team is the Atlanta Hawks.

As a provision of the Joe Johnson sign and trade deal, the Hawks would have had to send the Phoenix Suns their first round draft pick unless the pick ended up in the top three. With the Hawks finishing with the fourth best record, the odds were that they'd end up with a pick no higher than number four and end up having to send the pick to the Suns. Everyone (myself included) was already making plans for what Phoenix, not Atlanta should do with their potential first round pick.

The thought of losing their first round pick in a draft this deep was almost too much for their front office staff to handle. Things became so tense that Hawks GM Billy Knight didn't even watch the draft. Instead he sent fellow Hawks front office mate, Dominique Wilkins to represent the team at the draft lottery.

Luckily for Knight, he had acquired the rights to the Pacers first round pick as a part of the Al Harrington sign and trade deal, so at least they wouldn't leave this year's stacked draft without a first round pick. And if they did beat the odds and secure a pick in the top three, they'd be potentially walking away with two lottery picks from one of the deepest drafts in years.

By the luck of the lottery, the Hawks did beat the odds and end up in the top three, ensuring that they'd get to keep their pick. Now they have not one, but two lottery picks (numbers 3 and 11), in a draft that will surely net them a few players that can greatly improve their team. Now the all the Hawks need to do is figure out how to make the playoffs next year, so that the unprotected pick they now have to give to Phoenix doesn't end up netting the Suns OJ Mayo or Derrick Rose.

Random Concluding Thought: Don't be surprised if Atlanta tries to make a play and move up to the number two slot in the draft. It's been mentioned here and here already, but I think there is a slight chance that both Durant and Oden don't end up playing in Seattle.