<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">My informal poll of 10 people with no affiliation with the Hawks produced six different responses - Mike Conley (three times), Brandan Wright, Yi Jianlian, Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer and trades the pick were the responses tossed my way. Many of the top prospects gathered here Thursday afternoon for a media session that allowed some of us our first up close and personal glimpse at these kids, you know, the teenagers (in most cases) fans expect to help deliver their respective teams from future draft lotteries. I had a chance to sit down and talk with the usual suspects (add Greg Oden to the list of wish they would have been Hawks, by the way, the kid is eloquent, thoughtful, witty and at times hilarious. Oh yeah, he can play, too. That No. 1 pick would have changed things in Hawksville forever, as you well know). Mike Conley and I discussed his future possibilities with the Hawks (stay tuned for a Sunday profile of Conley in our NBA Insider). I did the same with Acie Law, Brandan Wright, Al Horford, Joakim Noah and several other guys who could be in play with picks No. 3 and 11, provided the Hawks don?t move them for veteran help. (My first impression, without having seen any of these guys in a workout situation, is that they?re all pretty much what you?d expect. Oden looks like a beast. Durant?s all arms and legs, Brandan Wright?s as long and lean as advertised and Jeff Green gets the no nonsense award for showing up in a shirt tie. But no one was noticeably taller or shorter than they?ve been listed previously, though Kevin Durant admitted that the 220 pounds he was listed at in the Texas media guide was a overestimated by about eight pounds.) But back to that trade scenario, I asked as many personnel guys as I could what they thought the Hawks? best option was and most everyone of them expressed reservations about the Hawks trading away those picks without a little more investigation. It?s still a bit murky as to who would be the best option at No. 3. Two people I asked with extensive knowledge of the international game swear that Yi Jianlian is the clear-cut No. 3 talent in this draft. But they also expressed some doubts as to whether the Hawks, and their style, would be the best fit. Another well-informed personnel guy suggested that the Hawks don?t have the ?guts? to take the third-best talent (Yi) because he?s such a mystery. He likened it to the year Dirk Nowitzki was pilfered from the Milwaukee Bucks in a draft day trade with Dallas (he didn?t say Yi was as good a prospect as Dirk, only that there was a similar mysteriousness about Dirk at this same stage of the process). Until I see Yi, I won?t dive off that cliff. But I have to admit I am sufficiently intrigued by this guy and how good he might be.</div> Source: AJC.Com
