Answering the key questions leading up to June 28

	Forward Al Horford is one of a handful of players considered a possible No. 3 pick. Bill Frakes/SI
	NBA Draft Coverage EKSTRAND'S MOCK DRAFT: All 60 selections WINN: Overrated and underrated college prospects EKSTRAND: Guard rankings | Swingmen | Big men THOMSEN: Five-minute guide to the NBA Draft MANNIX: Picks and trades that make sense McCALLUM: Everyone's a draft expert these days THOMSEN: Some injury concerns about Oden EKSTRAND: Answering the draft's key questions THOMSEN: Hawks in position to pull off big trade WINN: Unlikely experts altering face of the draft THOMSEN: Noah the draft's most intriguing player GALLERIES: All-time biggest draft steals | Busts FORRESTER: Ranking the all-time No. 1 picks

1. We've heard for months that this draft shapes up as among the deepest in years. Do you believe that is the case?

While most drafts are remembered for the player or players at the top who become the league's next superstars, NBA teams measure a draft by how many good players come into the league and stay in the league. Talk got started very early that this would be a special draft, and that will still be true because of some of the blue-chip players available at the front end.

But the depth of the draft has been cut back significantly. First, unproven but intriguing players like Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet and France's Nicolas Batum decided not to enter. Then surefire first-round picks like Roy Hibbert, Brandon Rush and Ante Tomic pulled out. In the waning hours before the withdrawal deadline, Cal's DeVon Hardin and Nevada's Marcelus Kemp, possible late first-rounders, opted for another season of college basketball as well. So while the draft still looks strong, with quality players all the way through the first round and even some in the second round, it isn't the monster draft that it was hyped to be around the time of the NCAA tournament.

2. Which team or teams will dictate the course of the draft?

Once the draft lottery unfolded as unexpectedly as it did, it was clear that Atlanta would be the driver of the draft. The Hawks could have emerged from the lottery with two lottery picks, one lottery pick or no lottery picks. For once, Atlanta was lucky and captured the third and 11th overall selections.

The Hawks, who desperately need to come out of this draft with an improved point-guard situation, have many options, since there is not a consensus about which player should be the third pick. Most teams seem to prefer Florida's Al Horford, who is undoubtedly one of the most ready-to-play players in the draft. However, the athletic potential of China's Yi Jianlian, North Carolina's Brandan Wright or even Horford's college teammate Corey Brewer has certain teams angling to get in position to draft or acquire those players.

Hawks GM Billy Knight must also assess whether the point guards likely to be available at No. 11, like Texas A&M's Acie Law or Georgia Tech's Javaris Crittenton, represent an upgrade from what he has now, or if he needs to move some package of picks and players to acquire a veteran point guard. The feeling around the NBA is that, after the coronation of Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, the draft starts at No. 3.

Other teams in strong position to influence the draft are Chicago, which has the ninth pick and the kind of young talent to swing almost any kind of trade; Detroit, which has Nos. 15 and 27 and a message from team president Joe Dumars that it is ready to shake off complacency; and Portland, which has four second-round picks and some interesting young players to deal as well.