With the preseason in the books, the Hawks are moving from tune-up mode to the part that counts. Atlanta went 4-1 before opening night, and Quin Snyder made it clear that what mattered now was carrying those good stretches forward when the games start to matter in the standings.
“Yeah, I think, you know, you process the preseason and some of the things we felt like we did well, we want to build on. And then other things that as you get, you know, get going more and more, you know you're going to have to do better.
So those things usually. to the extent you're working on the practice, touching them, watching film. But I think by and large, everybody's ready to get going.”
One of the biggest preseason bright spots was rookie point guard Kingston Flemings, who looked comfortable right away and appears poised to handle backup point guard duties from the jump. Snyder praised the way Flemings has developed, both as a player and as a presence in the room.
“He's doing good. I think you've seen a lot of what we've seen in practice, his ability to get to the rim and the open floor.
I think he's getting more and more comfortable in a role playing with other guys, but very, very perceptive. The thing that, you know, same reason, one of the many reasons we wanted to draft him.
You know, he's a great teammate. And those qualities, you know, the character, the work ethic, and the selflessness, those manifest themselves a lot of desires.”
Flemings has done enough this preseason to look like he belongs, and he’s focused on the game slowing down even more as he settles in. He pointed to the way the offense and pace have come together from Memphis to Dallas and said he’s eager for Wednesday.
“ust getting more comfortable, honestly. I think just playing a little slower.
Everything's slowing down as games are going on. You know, from Memphis all the way to our last game versus Dallas, you know, I think the game's slowed down a lot.
So I'm excited to go out there and play the Magic.”
The matchup in front of Atlanta is with an Orlando team that has made only one notable change this offseason: Sean Sweeney is in as head coach, replacing Jamahl Mosley. Snyder acknowledged that Orlando has both a strong roster and a strong coach, while keeping the focus squarely on what Atlanta wants to do.
“Well, you know, you have Sean Sweeney, their coach, is a really good coach. And they're a really good team.
And as you mentioned, excellent roster. Usually there's a balance of those things.
I can't speak for them. I'm thinking about our team.
But you try to play to your players' strengths. And at the same time, from a coaching standpoint, there's things that everybody's a little different and sees the game different ways.
So I'm sure that'll be reflected in how they play as well.”
There’s also a new face in a different jersey in Lu Dort, who is starting his first season with another team after helping the Thunder climb from a rebuild to an NBA title two seasons ago. Dort said the build-up to Wednesday’s opener has him fired up.
“Excited. Really, really excited.
You know, put a lot of good weeks together, working and getting ready for the first game. So I'm really excited and we're looking forward to a long season we're about to have.”
In Other News...
Hawks Face A Roster Squeeze If This Big Man Hits The Market
Moussa Cisses name is starting to circulate as the Mavericks weigh their roster ahead of the October 19 deadline, and that has put a handful of teams on alert. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Bulls, Hawks, Lakers and 76ers are among the clubs keeping an eye on the big man if Dallas decides to waive him, with the appeal centered on a low-risk chance to add size before the season fully gets going.
For Atlanta, the interest is easy to understand. The Hawks are always looking for help in the frontcourt, and a player like Cisse would at least give them another option to evaluate if he becomes available. The wrinkle is fit and timing, since a roster move would have to be made first, and Atlantas own big-man picture has already been affected by Henri Veesars offseason ACL injury, which could factor into whether Cisse eventually has a realistic path to minutes if the opportunity opens. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Face A Costly Onyeka Okongwu Decision This Week
Onyeka Okongwu enters his seventh NBA season with an important issue hanging over the Hawks front office, and it comes with a deadline attached. Atlanta has to decide whether to lock in its young center with a contract extension now or hold off and let the season play out, a choice that puts his value, his role and the teams long-term cap planning under the same microscope.
For the Hawks, this is more than a routine roster conversation. Okongwu has developed into a key part of their frontcourt picture, but the organization still has to balance his strengths and weaknesses against the financial flexibility it wants to preserve for the rest of the roster. The decision could shape not just what he costs, but how Atlanta manages its future payroll as this core continues to take form. [Read more 🡒]
Kingston Flemings Is Putting Real Pressure On Atlanta's Starting Five
Kingston Flemings has done more than just look comfortable in summer league and preseason, he has given Atlanta something to think about. His playmaking has stood out, and the clean way he has handled the ball has only added to the sense that he belongs in the conversation around the Hawks rotation as the season gets closer.
The bigger question is how far that momentum can carry once the games count. There is already speculation that Flemings could work his way into the starting lineup if his regular-season play keeps matching what he has shown so far, which would force a tougher decision on the guard group and open the door to a very different role for an established veteran. For now, it is just pressure, but it is the kind that can change a depth chart quickly. [Read more 🡒]