With only a 3% chance, the Atlanta Hawks shockingly beat the odds and won the highly sought-after #1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. However, Lou Williams, a former Hawks player, has dimmed the enthusiasm with his honest comments about the team’s goals. Their #1 pick could land them Perth Wildcats’ Alex Sarr, who is the projected #1 pick. But Williams, who hints at a “bounce-back mentality”, thinks that utilizing it may not be their best option.

Alex Sarr’s future remains uncertain, Hawks may trade pick!

Amidst the team’s unexpected lottery win, Lou Williams admitted that he felt the team should not go through a rebuilding phase. “They’re in no mood for a rebuild. This city doesn’t want any young talent right now,” he emphasized. He said the team would like to be in the same run as the Pacers and the Knicks. Teams that are ‘turning the corner’ with All-Star caliber players.

He continued, “They want to trade that pick and they want to get some guys that can come in here and help win right now.” Naturally, bringing in a young star is a time investment; one that may not bear any fruits if a franchise targets the super-near future, seemingly like the Lakers– who are hunting for a ‘3rd star’ to help them win the NBA before 2025 with LeBron James. However, this wasn’t the first time Williams spoke about his ex-team’s top pick.

In another sequence on ‘NBA on TNT,’ he advocated for a trade of the top pick. When asked what he’d do in this position, he said, “Trade that pick. Atlanta ain’t building for the future right now.” Atlanta ranked 10th on the Eastern Conference leaderboard for this season. And Williams feels they are not completely out of the mix yet and he strongly advises against losing their current relevancy.

“They need a bounce-back season. This is not the time to be trying to rebuild,” he insisted. With this emphasis on opposing any sort of rebuilding, the future of Alex Sarr seems uncertain if the Hawks decide to roll with this plan.

Sarr talks Atlanta Hawks, shares thoughts

With all eyes on the Hawks’, concerns over the future of their top prospect Alex Sarr—who stands an intimidating 7’1″—looms large. The group’s speculated reservations about embarking on a rebuilding phase begs questions about his future straightaway with the team. Sarr, who is a Forward/Centre, shared his opinions about the Atlanta Hawks winning the lottery.

In an interview with Andscape, Alex Sarr shared his enthusiasm, saying, “I’m really excited. I just found out what the order is. It tells me what team I’m going to work out with.”

Alex Sarr continued, “The Hawks are an exciting organization. They are trending in the right direction. It’s great that they have the No. 1 pick.” Clearly, the French baller is looking forward to this union, but is he destined for disappointment?

Last year, the draft’s #1 pick, Victor Wembanyama changed the San Antonio Spurs‘ landscape in his debut season, despite their atrocious final league position. Will the Atlanta Hawks take a similar gamble and bet everything on Alex Sarr? Or will they stick to building around their current roster in hopes of a come-back next season?

For now, the fate of the young star hangs in the balance.