The Hawks have spent this offseason making one thing pretty clear: they want Jalen Johnson operating in space.
That matters because Johnson is the engine here. He’s the player with the best chance to carry Atlanta toward its next championship, and while a co-star may eventually be part of that equation, the immediate job is simpler - build the right kind of offense around him. The Hawks appear to have done that by loading the roster with shooters who can stretch the floor around him.
Even with only a handful of preseason games to go on, the shape of the roster is obvious. Atlanta has assembled a group that is comfortable firing from deep, and several of those options look dependable enough to matter once the games count. For a player like Johnson, who does so much damage as a driver and passer, that’s exactly the sort of setup he needs.
The Hawks were already a solid three-point team last season, but they’ve taken a step forward in how they’ve stocked the roster with shooting this year. Trading for Aaron Wiggins was a smart move, and he looks like the kind of player who can push the offense to another level with Johnson still steering the ship.
Rookie guard Kingston Flemings also looks like someone Atlanta should invest in going forward, and he’s showing signs he can knock down threes as well. Corey Kispert brings shooting too, giving the Hawks another reliable option from the perimeter.
Then there’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who stands out as one of the most important shooters in the mix. He’ll be one of Atlanta’s top shot creators next year, and he’s a legitimate threat from beyond the arc whether he’s working on or off the ball.
What makes the roster even more interesting is that the shooting doesn’t stop with the wings and guards. Atlanta’s big-man rotation can space the floor too, which opens up pick-and-pop possibilities for Johnson and gives the Hawks more flexibility in how they attack.
Onyeka Okongwu has already shown he’s comfortable taking those shots, and in the Hawks’ final preseason game, backup big Jock Landale knocked down three of his four three-point attempts.
If Okongwu and Landale can both be real threats from deep, Atlanta will be able to keep a strong shooting lineup on the floor almost all the time. That kind of spacing is important for Johnson, Alexander-Walker, and Dyson Daniels. In today’s NBA, you need the floor spread as wide as possible on offense, and the Hawks have put their core in a good position to work with that.
In Other News...
Hawks Rotation Battle Just Got More Interesting After That Blowout
The Hawks preseason win over Dallas was lopsided enough to look routine on the surface, but it also gave the coaching staff a longer look at pieces fighting for real rotation minutes. Atlanta rolled to a 135-111 victory with its starters logging significant run, and the best signs came from the players trying to carve out bigger roles around the core. JJ Johnson turned in a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Jock Landale was productive in limited minutes with 14 points.
For a team still sorting out the edges of the lineup, the more revealing performances came from the backcourt and wing spots where competition is tight. Dyson Daniels brought defensive energy, but his offense did not come easily, and the kind of preseason night that can clarify a pecking order also left one of Atlantas deeper options with more to prove as camp moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Wiggins May Have Solved A Hawks Problem From Last Season
A season ago, Atlantas lack of forward depth was one of the issues that kept showing up when the rotation got stretched. The Hawks have tried to address that by bringing in Aaron Wiggins, and his preseason run against the Dallas Mavericks offered a useful early glimpse of what he might add. He looked comfortable coming off the bench, filled the box score, and gave Atlanta another wing option who can help the team avoid the thin spots that hurt it last year.
The bigger question is whether Wiggins can keep that level of impact once the games count for real. Atlanta also has Lu Dort on the roster, bringing another defensive-minded presence with him from his Oklahoma City days, so there is at least some evidence the Hawks are trying to build more balance on the perimeter. If Wiggins preseason form carries over, it could go a long way toward making this group tougher to wear down over the course of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Jock Landale Just Revived A Painful Hawks Playoff What-If
John Collins gave Atlanta a useful glimpse of what its frontcourt can look like in the preseason finale against Dallas, finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and a block. For a team that spent part of last spring searching for answers inside, any reminder of depth and versatility tends to linger, especially when it comes from a big man who can do a little bit of everything.
Jock Landales night only sharpened that feeling. He has been working back after the ankle injury that cost him the postseason, and his preseason performance offered a reminder of what the Hawks were missing when the rotation got thin in that first-round series against New York. If he stays on the floor, his blend of size, skill and mobility could matter in a much different way this time around. [Read more 🡒]