The 2026-27 NBA season is right around the corner, and Atlanta looks positioned to jump on the opening stretch before the league settles in.
The Hawks are bringing back much of the group that caught fire in the second half of last season, and that continuity matters in a month when plenty of teams are still trying to figure out who they are. Atlanta added some bench pieces, but the core remains familiar. That gives them a real chance to come out swinging while others are still searching for chemistry.
October hands them a useful runway. Their first stop is Orlando, where they’ll try to open with a win against the Magic after sweeping them four games to none last season. From there, Atlanta stays on the road to face the Charlotte Hornets, a team that has changed enough that “post-LaMelo Ball life” will take time to sort out.
Then the Hawks finally get home.
State Farm Arena will see Houston on Oct. 24, followed by another meeting with the Rockets on the road two days later. After that comes a home back-to-back against the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, before Atlanta finishes the month in New Orleans against the Pelicans on Halloween night.
It’s a demanding opening slate, but it’s also the kind of schedule that can reward a team with stability. The Hawks should have that edge if they lean into what worked for them late last season.
That’s the lesson from last year, too. Atlanta needed time for its revamped roster to click after the Trae Young trade, but once it did, the team rolled through the rest of the regular season.
A fast start this time around could do more than just pad the record early. It could set the tone for the whole month and keep Atlanta ahead of the league’s inevitable adjustment period.
If the Hawks can strike early, they may end up looking like this year’s Pistons - hopefully without the second-round exit.
In Other News...
Aaron Wiggins Could Decide More For The Hawks Than Fans Realize
Atlanta has already done most of its roster reshaping in training camp, moving Buddy Hield, bringing in Lu Dort and keeping veterans Jock Landale and CJ McCollum in place. With the top of the backcourt largely sorted out and Kingston Flemings expected to be the fourth guard, the Hawks are down to the smaller decisions that can still matter over the course of a long season.
Aaron Wiggins is one of those decisions. Quin Snyder has pointed to the value he can bring, and his championship background gives Atlanta another steady piece to lean on if the rotation gets tested. Even if his role looks modest on paper, the Hawks are clearly counting on him to provide more than just minutes at the end of the bench. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Face A Jalen Duren Decision That Could Save Them Big
Jalen Durens situation in Detroit is one the Hawks have to keep watching closely, because the timing could end up mattering as much as the talent. The Pistons restricted free agent is drawing interest from multiple teams, Atlanta included, and there has already been chatter about either a sign-and-trade or the chance to go after him when he hits the market next summer.
For the Hawks, the appeal is obvious: a young big man who could fit a long-term frontcourt plan without forcing them into a rushed move this offseason. If Duren winds up taking the path that puts him back in the open market later, Atlanta could be sitting on enough flexibility to make a real run, which is exactly why this decision has league circles watching so closely. [Read more 🡒]
Dyson Daniels May Be Getting The Help Hawks Fans Wanted
Dyson Daniels has already established himself as one of the Hawks most important defensive pieces, but the conversation around Atlantas defense for 2026 is shifting in a way that should matter to anyone watching the team closely. The roster now features more defensive-minded help around him, and Daniels has pointed to a group that includes Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins as part of the reason the Hawks should be tougher to score against.
For a team that has leaned on Daniels to set the tone on that end, the appeal is obvious: fewer heavy lifts for one player and more bodies who can take on difficult matchups. Daniels also sees a mix of veterans and younger players in the defensive core, and he sounded confident that the collective group can raise the standard without asking one defender to carry the entire load. [Read more 🡒]