There’s still a few weeks before training camp opens across the NBA, but Atlanta’s picture is already coming into focus.
The Hawks are heading into the season as a team with playoff ambitions and a roster that looks more refined than radically changed. Atlanta did not chase a major offseason overhaul.
Instead, the front office brought back CJ McCollum and Jock Landale, added three rookies through the draft, and made a few smaller trades aimed at deepening the bench. The Eastern Conference may have tightened around them, but the Hawks are still very much in the mix.
The clearest part of the equation is the starting five. Atlanta’s projected opening lineup is CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu.
That group should be the easiest part of the rotation to project. Once the All-Star Break passed last season, that lineup found real traction and played like one of the stronger starting units in the league. There’s an argument for Lu Dort to take Alexander-Walker’s spot, but Alexander-Walker’s steadier shooting and scoring make him the cleaner fit, especially since he also brings strong defense.
McCollum enters his age-35 season, but his value to Atlanta was obvious once he was put into the starting group last year. He was a playoff hero and remains the Hawks’ best answer at guard when they need half-court creation and shot-making.
Alexander-Walker’s rise was already rewarded with the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award, and last season’s two-way production gave Atlanta exactly what it needed. The question now is whether there’s another jump left in him.
Daniels brings elite perimeter defense and a passing and rebounding profile that doesn’t always get enough attention. The big swing with him is the three-point shot. After a rough year from deep, any improvement there would raise the ceiling for this team.
Johnson keeps climbing. His progress earned him his first All-Star appearance and his first All-NBA nod last season, even if the playoffs were a struggle. Atlanta is banking on another step forward.
Okongwu, meanwhile, may be one of the league’s most underrated centers. He quietly put together his best shooting season and continued to defend at a high level. For this Hawks team, he matters a lot.
The bench picture is less settled, but there are a few names that look secure near the top. Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, and Jock Landale are the likeliest locks to lead the second unit.
Wiggins gives Atlanta shooting and defense. Dort adds toughness and perimeter pressure.
Landale is expected to carry over the momentum he built as the backup center last season, with shooting, rebounding, and physical play in his package. This is the first time he’ll go into a season as the clear No. 2 at center.
At point guard, Kingston Flemings looks like the leading candidate to back up the starter, but nothing is handed to a rookie. Ryan Nembhard and Devin Carter will push for that role too.
There’s also a battle brewing at backup power forward. One of Mouhamed Gueye, Asa Newell, or Zuby Ejiofor is expected to fill that spot, and with Gueye currently injured, Newell or Ejiofor could wind up with a real chance to grab meaningful minutes.
Atlanta is carrying 17 players right now, so there still has to be a cutdown to 15 before the regular season begins.
And when it comes to closing games, the Hawks don’t seem likely to get fancy. The projected finishing five is the same as the starting group: McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Daniels, Johnson, and Okongwu.
That setup should be Atlanta’s default late-game look. Dort could absolutely enter the closing mix in certain matchups if the Hawks need more defense and physical play.
Flemings might work his way there later in the year, too. But for now, this starting group also looks like the best closing group, and it should be the one Atlanta leans on most often.
In Other News...
Hawks Report Reveals How Far They Considered Going After Trae Young
Eight months after moving on from Trae Young, the Hawks were still probing the market for a way to reshape their roster around long-term flexibility rather than a quick fix. A new report says Atlanta explored a deal with Sacramento that would have sent Zach LaVine to the Kings, part of an effort to match Youngs salary while keeping future cap space intact.
The idea never got off the ground, with Sacramento passing on the proposal, and Atlanta ultimately turned to Washington instead. The Hawks wound up with CJ McCollum, who later signed a one-year extension at a lower salary than LaVines player option, underscoring just how intent the front office was on preserving room to maneuver even while changing the face of the team. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Finally Address A Front Office Hole At A Crucial Time
The Hawks have moved to stabilize their front office after a notable departure, with Bryson Graham leaving for a role with the Chicago Bulls. Atlanta responded by elevating Peter Dinwiddie, who had been serving as senior vice president of strategy and analytics, into a top basketball operations post as the team continues its offseason work.
The timing matters because the roster is still sitting at 17 players, and that number has to come down to 15 before the season begins. With decisions still to be made on the personnel side and the calendar moving closer to opening night, the Hawks are trying to keep both the front office and the roster in order at the same time. [Read more 🡒]