The Hawks will have to wait until the back end of the 2026-27 season to get their first look at what many are calling the NBA’s most entertaining team.
That team, according to the offseason buzz, is Minnesota. The Timberwolves made the loudest splash by trading for All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball, and the pairing with Anthony Edwards - famously an Atlanta native - gives them a star-driven edge that should pull in plenty of eyeballs. Even Hawks fans should have a reason to watch.
Atlanta has its own upgraded look, too, and the two clubs are expected to land just above the Play-In Tournament in their respective conferences. That sets up both meetings to carry real weight when they finally arrive.
The first Hawks-Timberwolves game is set for March 10, with the rematch coming on March 29. Since the teams are in different conferences, there won’t be much buildup through repeated matchups, but the timing could make both games feel bigger. March tends to sharpen everybody, and these teams should still be chasing postseason positioning when they meet.
There’s also a chance these games turn into something ugly in the best way. Both sides bring serious defensive length, which could make for a grind.
Ball may be the offensive headliner in Minnesota, but he’s not the defender driving that group. The rest of the starting five is built to bother people. Atlanta can say something similar, with CJ McCollum serving more as the undersized guard while the Hawks have packed the roster with long, disruptive defenders.
On one side: Dyson Daniels, Lu Dort and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. On the other: Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert.
That kind of matchup could drag the score down fast, but it also gives these games a real edge. By the time the Hawks and Timberwolves finally meet, both teams should have plenty on the line.
In Other News...
Hawks Still Have One Big Jonathan Kuminga Question Hanging Over Them
Jonathan Kuminga is still sitting in free agency late in the process, and the ripple effects are worth watching for a Hawks team that has kept an eye on the market around him. Cleveland had been seen as a possible landing spot, but the Cavaliers trade for Peyton Watson addressed a similar kind of positional need and may have changed their calculus. Meanwhile, the Lakers are widely viewed as the front-runner, though their path to Kuminga would require a sign-and-trade because of cap constraints.
For Atlanta, the important part is that the board is not settled yet. Other teams could still jump in, and Kuminga remains one of the more intriguing names left on the market because his next move still depends on how the rest of the free-agent picture unfolds. Even with the leading suitors starting to take shape, there is still enough uncertainty here to keep the Hawks watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Just Got Another Reminder How Tough The East Will Be
The East already looked deeper entering the season, and the latest move around the conference only reinforces how crowded the race is becoming. The Knicks have helped set the tone with their rise, while teams like the Hawks and Cavaliers have also pushed themselves into a more competitive tier, making the margin for error even smaller for anyone trying to climb the standings.
Cleveland added another layer to that picture by bringing in Peyton Watson, a move that gives a rising contender more length and versatility on the wing. For Atlanta, it is another reminder that the conference schedule will not offer many soft spots, with matchups likely to feel increasingly physical and playoff-like well before spring arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Johnson Faces The Question That Will Define The Hawks Season
Jalen Johnson entered last season as the Hawks new centerpiece after the Trae Young trade, and he answered the job with an All-Star debut and a place on the All-NBA team. For a team trying to reset around a younger core, that kind of leap gave Atlanta a real foundation, one built less on splash and more on the hope that Johnson could grow into the player who defines the next era.
The playoff series against the Knicks, though, left a more complicated picture, because the questions around Johnson were no longer about talent but about whether his game would travel when the stakes rose. Atlantas offseason reflected that same patience, with the front office opting to keep building gradually through youth and veteran additions rather than chase an instant co-star, leaving Johnson at the center of a plan that still needs proof. [Read more 🡒]