With the picking order set for the top half of the 2012 NBA Draft, projections for the first round have been updated, and while the Atlanta Hawks could use help in backcourt, Yahoo and Draft Exchange project they'll go with a reliable big for help on the glass with the 23rd pick. Arnett Moultrie, a junior from Mississippi State, fills that need:
The Hawks have a big hole on the wing, which could make the likes of Jeff Taylor, Darius Miller or Orlando Johnson attractive here. They also might want to address their frontcourt rotation, which was depleted for much of the season because of injuries. A big man like Moultrie can see minutes at both power forward and center, and would give them a nice boost on the glass, where they were fairly weak this season.
After transferring from UTEP, Moultrie was a breakout star for a disappointing Mississippi State squad that failed to make the NCAA Tournament despite a roster filled with talent. He's been compared to a Jermaine O'Neal or Jason Thompson as a power forward, but also played small forward earlier in his college career.
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