The Hawks’ lone home date with LeBron James this season is now on the calendar, and it lands on one of Atlanta’s biggest nights of the year.
James, who stunned the basketball world by saying he was heading back to the Eastern Conference and joining Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia for his 24th and (maybe) 25th NBA season, will bring the 76ers to Atlanta on MLK Day. If this season ends up being his final lap, that means the Hawks will get just one chance to host him during what could be an unofficial farewell tour, unless the teams cross paths in the postseason.
That’s what makes this one stand out. When a player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest to ever do it is potentially nearing the end, every appearance turns into a ticket. And for Atlanta, there will only be one regular-season shot to see James in person at home.
The league made the matchup an easy choice for one of Atlanta’s marquee dates. Every year, with only a few exceptions, the Hawks host a nationally televised game in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., the late civil rights activist born in Atlanta.
In 2025, scheduling conflicts forced the team into an away game instead, and the backlash was immediate. Trae Young was among the loudest voices pushing to get the holiday game back in Atlanta.
That push worked. Last season, the tradition returned with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in town. Atlanta lost that one, but the bigger point was simple: the game belonged at home.
This time, the NBA didn’t wait long to lock in the opponent, and Philadelphia makes plenty of sense for a spotlight game. The 76ers are expected to be one of the league’s most heavily featured teams on national television this season, and they’ll only visit Atlanta once.
The Hawks and Sixers will meet only three times this year, which is a relatively light dose for two East teams. Atlanta swept Philadelphia last season, though those Sixers were without LeBron and JB. Still, the matchup has the ingredients to make for a quality game, as well.
In Other News...
Hawks NBA Cup Draw Puts Trae Young In An Emotional Spotlight
The NBA Cup schedule has given Atlanta a familiar early-season wrinkle, with the Hawks set to open group play against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 6 at home. It is the kind of date that already carries a little extra weight, because Washington now sits on the other side of a transaction that changed the look of both teams and added an immediate subplot to the Hawks' cup run.
Trae Young's name is still the one that makes this matchup feel different. He has recently spoken with appreciation about Hawks fans, and this game could be his first chance to step back into Atlanta as a visiting player since the trade. Even in a tournament group that will be judged by wins and losses, the emotional pull of that return may end up being the part everyone remembers most. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga Situation Could Suddenly Break Atlanta's Way
Jonathan Kumingas market may be shrinking in a way that could matter for Atlanta. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Cleveland may not chase a sign-and-trade for the forward as it turns its attention toward a contract extension with James Harden, and that shift would leave fewer obvious landing spots in play. For a player who has been linked to a few different possibilities, the squeeze could make the Hawks position feel a little more relevant than it did a few days ago.
Atlanta remains a logical name to watch because the Hawks have the kind of flexibility that can keep a return scenario alive, especially if other options dont gain traction. The Lakers and Timberwolves are still mentioned as possible suitors, but no real momentum has formed there, and that leaves Kuminga in a familiar holding pattern. For the Hawks, the appeal is simple: if the market keeps thinning out, their ability to stay in the conversation could suddenly matter a lot. [Read more 🡒]