The Hawks spent much of last season proving they could handle the teams around them, and Detroit was one of the few groups that gave them real trouble.
Atlanta swept the Magic and the 76ers during its late push toward the playoffs, but the Pistons were a different kind of problem. Detroit nearly swept the Hawks itself, and Atlanta didn’t have an answer until the final meeting between the teams.
The matchup tilted because of what happened inside. Jalen Duren was the clear difference-maker, forcing the issue in the paint and standing out as the best big man in those games.
That’s what makes his unresolved free agency such a big summer storyline.
Duren remains available in restricted free agency, and that alone tells you where things stand between him and the Pistons. His camp is pushing for much more than Detroit is prepared to pay, and the gap has turned the situation into one of the messier ones of the offseason.
If his regular-season production had shown up in the postseason, a max contract would have been easy to imagine. He was that good.
But in the Hawks matchups, he looked even more imposing. In four games against Atlanta last season, Duren averaged 21.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, a steal and a block per game while shooting over 65% from the field.
That kind of production changes everything.
If Duren is still not on Detroit’s roster when the season opens - and that remains possible - the Hawks could have a real shot to move ahead of the Pistons in the East. That’s especially true with so many conference teams making clear upgrades this summer.
Detroit did improve, too. But if Duren is gone, a big chunk of that progress disappears with him.
In Other News...
Hawks Fans Have A New Reason To Debate Who's Underrated
With NBA2K27 now out worldwide, Hawks fans have a fresh way to size up the roster before the real games begin. Atlanta landed in Tier 2 with an 81 overall rating, a respectable mark that still leaves room for debate, especially when a game like this turns every lineup decision into a public conversation.
Jalen Johnson heads the team at 87 overall, but the more interesting discussion is around the players sitting just below him. Onyeka Okongwu, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are the names most likely to fuel the usual too low arguments, and their early ratings give supporters another reason to watch how the season unfolds. As always with a new 2K release, the numbers are only the opening statement, and the real argument will come from how those players perform once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Concerns Could Matter More To Hawks Fans Than Expected
Ira Windermans look at the Heats backcourt situation is the kind of neighboring-development Hawks fans should keep an eye on, especially with Miami expected to be in the same crowded slice of the Eastern Conference. Davion Mitchell gives the Heat a solid starting point at point guard, but the overall shape of the roster still matters for a team trying to stay in the contender conversation in a conference where small advantages can swing the standings.
FanDuel has Miami and Toronto projected to land tied for sixth in the East at 45 1/2 wins, which would put both teams in the mix for a play-in path and make every depth question feel a little louder. For Atlanta, that means one more rival whose margin for error could be tested over the course of the season, and the Heats ability to steady the position behind Mitchell may wind up being part of the bigger picture even if it does not look like it right away. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Training Camp Has One Roster Battle That Suddenly Matters
Training camp is still three weeks away, but the Hawks already have one depth chart decision that could shape how Quin Snyder sorts through the early weeks of the season. Atlanta brings back its starting lineup from last year and has added enough new pieces this offseason to give the coach real choices, especially as the team keeps pushing to position itself as a playoff contender.
The frontcourt is where the intrigue starts, with Onyeka Okongwu and Cameron Landale already established in the rotation. What remains unsettled is the next layer of that group, and rookies Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar are among the names expected to be in the mix when camp opens. For a team trying to tighten up its roster rather than overhaul it, even a smaller battle like this could carry more weight than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]