Atlanta’s second week of the season left a few clear winners and a handful of worrying trends, and the biggest storyline might be how quickly the rotation picture is starting to shift.
The Hawks went 1-3 after opening the year 2-1, and the losses were ugly enough to raise real questions. Two came by double digits, capped by a 22-point defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. That kind of week puts the spotlight on who is helping, who is slipping, and who may be forcing the coaching staff to rethink roles.
Flemings was the bright spot. The No. 8 overall pick is starting to look like more than just a promising young guard - he’s making a push for the starting lineup. Atlanta’s only true point guard, Flemings has given the team a steady hand on offense and plenty of energy on defense.
His best performance of the season came against Miami, when he poured in 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting, added five assists and grabbed five rebounds. For the week, he averaged 10.8 points on 60.7% shooting from the field and 44.4% from three, while also dishing out 5.0 assists per game. He still has to prove he can do it consistently, but this was a strong step forward.
McCollum, on the other hand, has not gotten off to the start Atlanta needs. His roughest outing came in the Hawks’ win over the Cavaliers, when he went 1-for-8 from the floor and committed four turnovers. Defensively, he was the team’s biggest weak link throughout the week.
The overall numbers aren’t disastrous - 13.0 points per game on 47.6% shooting and 38.9% from deep - but the lack of playmaking and the defensive issues made it a frustrating stretch for him.
Wiggins also kept building on a strong start after arriving from Oklahoma City in a trade. Outside of the Pelicans loss, he had a solid week and turned in his best game as a Hawk in the win over Cleveland, scoring 20 points.
Over the full week, he shot 44% from the field and 37% from three. He has been one of Atlanta’s best players so far this season, and this was another encouraging stretch.
Johnson’s week was much tougher, and the offense is feeling it. Until he finds his rhythm, Atlanta is going to have a hard time getting much going on that end. He shot 39.6% from the field and 35.5% from three, and his minus-13.8 mark was the worst on the team, nearly five points lower than any other Hawk.
Rather than showing signs of progress, Johnson still looks like the same player from the playoff series against the Knicks. That version of him isn’t enough to help push this team back to the playoffs, and he needs to be better in every area, from shooting to ball security.
Daniels also had a quiet week offensively. He scored fewer than 10 points in every game and shot 34.5% from the field.
The shooting issues aren’t new, but he usually offsets them with passing and rebounding. That didn’t happen this time.
His defense remains solid, but the offensive struggles are back in the foreground, and Quin Snyder has work to do to get this group moving in the right direction on that side of the floor.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Sent A Clear Signal About Asa Newells Role
The Hawks made an early commitment to Asa Newell, exercising the 2027-28 team option on the second-year forwards contract and locking in his salary for that season. Newell, a first-round pick in 2025, has already been part of the organizations long-term planning, and this move gives Atlanta another clear sign that it still sees a future for him as part of the roster picture.
Newells path has not been a straight line, though, with the forward appearing in 47 games across his first two seasons as he continues to try to carve out a steadier role. The option decision came before the Nov. 2 deadline, and while it secures his place financially, it also leaves open the bigger question of how much of a role he can win as the Hawks keep sorting out their frontcourt rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Suddenly Have A Frontcourt Problem Ahead Of Indiana
The Hawks are heading into their matchup with Indiana with their frontcourt suddenly looking thin, and the injury report could force some quick decisions before tipoff. Jalen Johnson is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain, while Jock Landale, Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar have all been ruled out, leaving Atlanta with fewer options than usual up front.
If Johnson cannot go, the Hawks may have to get creative with their rotation and piece together the center spot on the fly. That could mean leaning on younger depth and scrambling the frontcourt alignment in a game where the Pacers will be able to test every bit of that flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Suddenly Have A Point Guard Problem They Cant Ignore
Kingston Flemings night ended early in a recent loss to the Pelicans, and the way it ended left the Hawks with more than just a bad result to sort through. The rookie point guard was ejected after a late incident involving Bryce McGowens, a moment that has now put his availability under the microscope as the league weighs whether further discipline is coming.
For Atlanta, the concern is bigger than one missed game. Flemings has been part of the rotation at a position where the Hawks do not have much margin for error, and any suspension would force the staff to lean even harder on its veteran backcourt help. With the guard room already thin, the team may have to adjust quickly if the league decides to add to the punishment. [Read more 🡒]