Atlanta may have found a real prize in the back half of the 2025 NBA Draft, and Asa Newell is already walking into year two with something a lot of his peers don’t have: a little playoff scar tissue.
That advantage matters. Newell’s rookie season didn’t unfold the way he probably pictured it would, especially once he slipped out of the rotation as Atlanta leaned into postseason experience. But even in a limited role, he still got a look at what that environment feels like - and he made it clear at media day that it left a mark.
“It was great, year one, being in the playoffs. That just set the standard. It's going to set the standard for this organization ... trying to make the playoffs every year.”
He also said the atmosphere itself taught him plenty.
“Being in the environment of [State Farm Arena], being in the environment in New York, going against the Knicks, I just took a lot. It's extremely physical.”
That’s not a massive sample, but it’s more than most rookies get, and more than most of his draft class can say. Even those minutes that came when games were already getting out of hand still gave Newell a first-hand look at the pace, the pressure and the bite of playoff basketball.
The part that makes this especially interesting for Atlanta is where Newell started. After a strong freshman season at Georgia, he spent much of the pre-draft process projected as a late-lottery pick.
The Hawks had him on their short list early, then traded down and still landed one of their top targets. Now, with a season of NBA reps and a postseason taste already in the bank, he’s positioned for a much bigger second act.
The path is pretty simple from here: if Newell earns a steady spot in the nightly rotation, his ceiling rises fast. The Hawks have seen enough to believe the growth is real, even through a rookie year marked by roster changes and an uneven role.
For Atlanta, that makes Newell more than just a promising young piece. He could be the kind of breakout that changes the temperature around the team entirely.
In Other News...
Quin Snyder Just Framed The Hawks Question That Will Define This Season
Quin Snyder has spent the opening stretch of the season making the Hawks priorities sound simple enough: defend well enough to create offense, and then turn those stops into clean, usable possessions at the other end. That idea has shaped the way Atlanta is talking about itself, especially with a roster that was retooled to give the team more versatility around the margins and more options when it wants to change pace.
The challenge, as Snyder framed it, is turning that theory into a nightly habit. Atlanta still has to sort through which lineups can sustain the balance it wants, and the real test will be whether the Hawks can keep their execution sharp enough to make that two-way style hold up for more than short bursts. That part is easy to describe in October. It gets a lot harder once the games start asking for the same answer over and over again. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks May Regret Letting Ryan Nembhard Find A Better Opening
Ryan Nembhards path changed quickly after a brief stop in Atlanta. The 23-year-old guard spent last season with the Dallas Mavericks before the Hawks cut him loose during roster trims, and he has now landed on a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets, a team that can at least dangle a clearer route to the floor.
For Denver, the appeal is obvious. With an aging core and the possibility that injuries could reshape the guard rotation, Nembhard has a chance to matter as bench depth and a source of offense if he earns trust in the rotation. For Atlanta, it is the kind of move that can linger if a player finds a better opening somewhere else, especially when the new team has a more immediate need for what he brings. [Read more 🡒]
Onyeka Okongwu Deadline Could Expose Hawks' Real Center Plan
Onyeka Okongwus next contract talk has become one of the cleaner windows into how the Hawks see their frontcourt. He is eligible for an extension that could run through three years and reach $76.6 million, and the team has until October 19 to work out a deal. Even without a final answer, the timing alone makes this a meaningful marker for Atlanta as it sorts out where Okongwu fits in the long term.
The bigger question is what the deadline says about the center spot overall. If the Hawks move forward with Okongwu, that would reinforce his place in the teams plans. If they do not, the uncertainty only adds weight to recent chatter about Atlantas interest in Jalen Duren and suggests the Hawks may be keeping their options open rather than locking in a single answer. [Read more 🡒]