[1] In the 2001 NBA draft, the Hawks selected Spanish basketball star Pau Gasol with the third overall pick, but soon traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and first-round draft pick Jamaal Tinsley out of Iowa State University;[2][3][4][5][6] however, Tinsley was soon traded to the Indiana Pacers.
[7][8][9][10] During the off-season, the team signed free agents Ira Newble, Jacque Vaughn and Emanual Davis;[11][12][13][14] although Newble was released to free agency before the regular season began, he would later on be re-signed by the Hawks in January.
[15][16] The Hawks struggled losing six of their first seven games, and later on posted a 3–12 record in January, while posting two six-game losing streaks between January and February; Theo Ratliff only played just three games due to a right hip injury, and was replaced with Nazr Mohammed as the team's starting center.
The Hawks showed slight improvement avoiding 50 losses, finishing in sixth place in the Central Division with a 33–49 record.
[34][37] Following the season, Kukoč was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks,[38][39][40][41] and Vaughn signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic.