The Atlanta Hawks made one of the more perplexing moves of the second round in this year’s NBA Draft when they selected little-known Pape Sy with the 53rd overall pick.
Now, perhaps more surprisingly, Hawks’ GM Dave Pendergraft has said there’s a “slight chance” that they’ll buy Sy out of his European contract so that they can include him on Atlanta’s training camp roster this fall according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitutions’ Michael Cunningham.
Pendergraft didn’t elaborate on Atlanta’s reasoning for the change of heart. But considering how the Hawks praised Sy’s competitiveness and physical tools in camp, I’m assuming they see him as a guy who could eventually help as a wing defender. Plus Sy, who has one year left on his French deal, would come cheaply as a second-round pick.
The 6-foot-7 Sy played two games for the Hawks during the Vegas Summer League, averaging 4.5 points.