Hawks win 2024 NBA Draft lottery as fans debate Donovan Clingan, Alex Sarr and Risacher

Let the debate begin for Atlanta Hawks fans.

Atlanta will be selected first in the 2024 NBA Draft after the lottery results were revealed on Sunday.

Last year, winning the lottery was cause for celebration for the San Antonio Spurs, as it meant the franchise was on the verge of signing a transcendent talent in Victor Wembanyama. There simply isn’t that kind of prospect in the 2024 NBA draft class, and there isn’t even a broad consensus on which player stands out above the rest.

NBA G League Ignite’s Ron Holland ranked No. 1 overall in the most recent rankings for Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, up from No. 4 in January.

What adds to the intrigue is the fact that the Hawks haven’t presented themselves as a serious team in play for the top pick. They qualified for the play-in tournament and had only a three percent chance of winning the lottery. The front office may need to take a crash course in pursuing top stars.

There’s a lot of talk about who the Hawks could target, assuming they don’t use their first-round pick to acquire a ready-made star to pair with Trae Young. UConn center Donovan Clingan, JL Bourg wing Zaccharie Risacher and Perth Wildcats big man Alex Sarr are among the early favorites.

Of course, Atlanta could trade Young, in which case winning the lottery could be what leads the organization to pursue a broader rebuild. NBA insider Marc Stein reported in April that some people in the NBA thought Young or Dejounte Murray would be traded and that the former was the piece the Hawks would prefer to move.

One way or another, summer should be eventful.