The biggest hole in Atlanta’s roster last season was staring everyone in the face, and Aaron Wiggins looks built to patch it.
That weakness showed up again and again when the Hawks made their late push up the Eastern Conference standings, then it was there for all to see when the postseason arrived. The rise was real, but the roster had clear gaps, especially once the games tightened. Now Atlanta heads into the next season with a much better answer on the wing.
The attention naturally went to Lu Dort. That makes sense.
He’s only two seasons removed from being a key starter on a championship team, and he picked up All-Defense honors along the way. But it may be his former Thunder teammate - now with the Hawks - who ends up mattering most to Atlanta’s win total.
What Atlanta lacked last season was simple: dependable forward depth off the bench. Jonathan Kuminga filled that role for a stretch, but he was basically the lone trustworthy option behind Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson.
The Hawks needed someone who could give them steady offense and solid defense every night. Wiggins, 27, looks like that kind of piece.
He gave a strong preview in Atlanta’s final preseason game before the regular season. The Hawks treated the Mavericks matchup like a dress rehearsal, using their main rotation in expected roles. Wiggins came off the bench for 22 minutes and delivered 19 points, seven rebounds and two assists while knocking down four threes.
That kind of line won’t be there every night. Still, if he gives Atlanta even 60% of that production, it would help a lot. He kept the Mavericks uncomfortable on one end and made them pay on the other, finishing as the Hawks’ third-leading scorer in the game.
And the upside goes beyond one good night. Wiggins isn’t the only source of that kind of value on the roster, which is exactly why his presence matters so much. If one of the starting forwards misses time, Atlanta suddenly looks like it has a real answer.
In Other News...
Hawks Rotation Battle Just Got More Interesting After That Blowout
The Hawks preseason win over Dallas was lopsided enough to look routine on the surface, but it also gave the coaching staff a longer look at pieces fighting for real rotation minutes. Atlanta rolled to a 135-111 victory with its starters logging significant run, and the best signs came from the players trying to carve out bigger roles around the core. JJ Johnson turned in a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Jock Landale was productive in limited minutes with 14 points.
For a team still sorting out the edges of the lineup, the more revealing performances came from the backcourt and wing spots where competition is tight. Dyson Daniels brought defensive energy, but his offense did not come easily, and the kind of preseason night that can clarify a pecking order also left one of Atlantas deeper options with more to prove as camp moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Jock Landale Just Revived A Painful Hawks Playoff What-If
John Collins gave Atlanta a useful glimpse of what its frontcourt can look like in the preseason finale against Dallas, finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and a block. For a team that spent part of last spring searching for answers inside, any reminder of depth and versatility tends to linger, especially when it comes from a big man who can do a little bit of everything.
Jock Landales night only sharpened that feeling. He has been working back after the ankle injury that cost him the postseason, and his preseason performance offered a reminder of what the Hawks were missing when the rotation got thin in that first-round series against New York. If he stays on the floor, his blend of size, skill and mobility could matter in a much different way this time around. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Just Opened A Door To A Franchise-Shaping Move
The Hawks are heading into the regular season with the kind of flexibility teams usually envy but rarely enjoy. After wrapping up preseason, Atlantas focus is on player development and roster retention, but the bigger storyline is the financial room it has created, thanks to a pile of expiring contracts that could be moved now or used to clear space later.
That setup is why ESPNs Brian Windhorst and Tim McMahon singled out Atlanta as a team to watch for a major trade or free-agent swing. One name they floated was Karl-Anthony Towns, if he ever reached the market, though the expectation is still that he stays with the Knicks, leaving the Hawks with the sort of opening that can shape a roster for years if the right opportunity finally appears. [Read more 🡒]