3. Make Hawks Fans Believe

Luka Doncic was the best player in the 2018 NBA Draft. Getting him at No. 3 would have been a massive victory for the Hawks. But they decided to go a different route, trading Doncic and drafting one of the most polarizing prospects in recent memory. Now it’s up to Young to make Hawks fans believe not only in him, but the rebuild he’s now at the center of.

Not every city can drum up support for a rebuild like Philadelphia and the Process-loving Sixers. Atlanta isn’t the biggest market, and getting fans to buy into a bad team is going to be difficult. That’s especially true after a controversial draft-night trade. Young will need to prove a lot of people wrong.

I’m a firm believer in Young’s talent. If you take Doncic out of the equation, drafting Young at 5 and building around his skill set is a fine move. But Young will forever be tied to Doncic and his success (or failure) in Dallas. If the former is successful, which seems likely, Young will need to match that success to some degree.

The Hawks are embarking on arguably the purest rebuild in the league. They’ve already scrapped the foundation of a perennial playoff team, hunting for assets and establishing one of the most intriguing young cores in the league. That was, for many reasons, the right decision.

By passing on Doncic for Young, though, there is some lingering doubt over the front office’s decision making. For Young’s sake, as well as those in the front office, the Oklahoma product needs to prove himself at the next level. Luckily for those in the ATL, he’s more than capable of doing so.