The Atlanta Hawks enter the season with something bigger than buzz hanging over them: a chance to end a decade-long stretch that has followed them through multiple playoff trips. Since the 2015-2016 season, they have reached the postseason five times, but they have not hosted a first-round series in any of those runs.
That possibility is what makes Atlanta such a compelling team to watch. Last season, the Hawks turned heads by finishing strong after major moves around the new year, then carried that momentum into the playoffs. They pushed the eventual champion New York Knicks to six games in the postseason, which stood as the Knicks’ longest series that year.
A lot of what made Atlanta work was plain to see. The Hawks played fast, got out in transition, and used scrappy perimeter defense to create easy offense. They also showed off a roster built on versatility, with several players capable of sliding between roles and positions.
Dyson Daniels earned All-Defensive Second Team honors, Nickeil Alexander-Walker won Most Improved Player, and Jalen Johnson made both the All-Star team and the All-NBA Third Team. Those are the kinds of individual breakthroughs that hint at a team with more room to grow, even beyond the names that have already drawn attention.
That’s part of why Atlanta’s offseason stood out. Rather than make sweeping changes, the Hawks leaned into continuity and tried to keep building on what worked last year. The expectation around them still isn’t especially loud, but there is one ceiling they could smash through if everything breaks right.
A top-three or top-four finish in the Eastern Conference would do it.
That would be a surprise to many, especially with the conference looking heavier on established talent. The Indiana Pacers get Tyrese Haliburton back from injury, LeBron James and Jaylen Brown join the Philadelphia 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo joins the Miami Heat, and Kawhi Leonard returns to the Toronto Raptors to compete for another championship.
Atlanta would also have to climb past other teams that finished ahead of them in the standings last season. Still, the Hawks have enough to make that chase interesting if they can keep improving, stay consistent on both ends, and remain healthy.
Most preseason chatter has them landing in the mid to high 40s in wins and ending up in the Play-In Tournament. That kind of finish would read like a step back to some, but given where Atlanta has been and how crowded the East looks, it would still be a respectable season. Even so, the Hawks may have a little more in them than that.
In Other News...
Mo Gueye Might Be A Bigger Hawks Story Than Fans Realize
Mouhamed Gueye has quietly become one of the more interesting developmental stories on Atlantas roster since the Hawks drafted him in 2023. His role has grown step by step as his defense and three-point shooting have taken noticeable strides, and that growth has put him in position to matter more than the casual fan might expect when the season starts.
The Hawks are counting on Gueye to be part of the bench group that gives them some flexibility, especially with the way his skill set can stretch a second unit. For a player who arrived as a long-term project, the next stretch of his career now carries a little more urgency, and Atlanta will get a clearer read on just how much he can become before the calendar turns again. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Still Have One Roster Problem That Could Define This Season
The center spot has been a sore point for Atlanta for a while, and it showed up again when Onyeka Okongwu was outmatched by Karl-Anthony Towns in the playoff series against the Knicks. The Hawks have already cycled through different answers, bringing in Jock Landale and Tony Bradley and adding young bigs such as Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar, but none has yet looked like the kind of interior anchor that changes the shape of the roster.
What comes next could end up defining the season as much as anything else the Hawks do. They can keep searching for help on the market or hope their younger centers grow into the job, while Okongwus place in the picture remains important after years of being viewed as part of the solution rather than the whole answer. An extension decision also looms, which only adds to the pressure on Atlanta to get this one right. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks' Newest Camp Addition Could Force An Unexpected Roster Debate
The Hawks have added another big man to the mix with the signing of center Will Baker to a training camp deal, a move that gives the organization another developmental body to evaluate before opening night. Baker arrives with G League experience already on his resume, having spent time with the Iowa Wolves and Osceola Magic, and he figures to get a closer look as Atlanta sorts out its frontcourt depth in camp.
For now, the path to a longer stay is not exactly straightforward. Atlantas two-way contract spots are already filled, which makes any further roster maneuvering more complicated, but those kinds of openings can change quickly once camp gets rolling and performances start to matter. Baker gives the Hawks a familiar type of option to monitor, and his presence adds another layer to a roster discussion that could become more interesting than it looked at first glance. [Read more 🡒]