NBA Draft: Hawks prioritize long-term playmaking with Kingston Flemings at No. 8

Atlanta did something a little surprising Tuesday night in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Many figured the Hawks would go with size and choose 7-foot-3 Aday Mara out of Michigan at No. 8 overall to get a jumbo center in the fold.

Instead, they opted for 6-foot-3 lead guard Kingston Flemings from Houston.

It’s not a bad pick, but with CJ McCollum re-signing for next season, it made sense that Atlanta would opt for size to shore up their frontline to complement Jalen Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga.

Flemings, however, is the long-term solution at point guard for this young team, meaning the organization put a larger emphasis on additional playmaking.

This suggests the Hawks wanted more on-ball help for Johnson so they don’t overtax their All-Star forward, prioritized lineup symmetry and will possibly look to add size later in the draft or in free agency.

Regardless, Atlanta is a team to track next season.

Flemings is a ridiculously intriguing young lead guard who can score at three levels, has strong court vision and reliable decision-making, even at such a young age.

Will he have a huge impact on the Hawks in Year 1? Probably not, but that’s not the play here. This is a long-term vision the Hawks are initiating and rightfully so.