A lot of the Atlanta Hawks’ roster is coming back for the 2026-2027 season, but that doesn’t mean things will look the same. The front office mostly kept last season’s group intact after the team finished strong, then layered in youth through three draft picks and a few smaller additions, including Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Devin Carter, and Ryan Nembhard. With more moves still possible before opening night, a few returners are staring at much bigger jobs than the ones they had a year ago.
One of the clearest examples is Newell. He spent most of his rookie year in the G-League, but he now has a real path to the backup power forward spot.
Mouhamed Gueye’s foot injury this summer could keep him out until after the season starts, which opens the door behind Jalen Johnson. That puts Newell and rookie first-rounder Zuby Ejiofor in position to compete for rotation minutes in a way Newell simply wasn’t last season.
He showed real promise as a shooter and rebounder, but the defensive end has to come with him if he’s going to hold that role.
Wiggins is also walking into a very different situation. In Oklahoma City, he was more of a ninth or 10th man.
In Atlanta, he’s expected to function as a sixth or seventh option, and that shift matters. The Thunder’s depth allowed them to survive nights when Wiggins wasn’t at his sharpest.
The Hawks won’t have that luxury. Their bench depth was an issue last season and again in the playoffs, so Wiggins is being counted on to be one of the group’s best reserves and help stabilize that unit.
Then there’s Landale, whose role may not change on paper but is changing in significance. Atlanta didn’t bring in veteran center depth behind him, so he’ll need to keep producing in what amounts to the biggest role of his NBA career.
He’s been a journeyman for most of the ride and hasn’t had this kind of responsibility as the top backup on a playoff team before. The Hawks felt his absence in the frontcourt during the playoff series against the Knicks, and if they’re going to reach their ceiling, Landale has to stay healthy and keep playing well.
In Other News...
Hawks Roster Crunch Is About To Force A Tough Decision
Atlantas roster count has crept into an uncomfortable place, with 17 players on the books and the regular-season limit sitting at 15. That leaves the Hawks needing to clear room before the season gets underway, and the timing matters even more because the NBAs waive-and-stretch deadline is here, which sharply narrows the teams options for trimming down without simply cutting a player outright.
The front office could still explore a few different paths, including using a trade to move one of the extra pieces and lessen the squeeze. Devin Carter and Ryan Nembhard are among the names that could come up in those discussions, while other roster maneuvers remain on the table as Atlanta weighs how aggressive it wants to be. Nothing is locked in yet, but the clock is now forcing the kind of decision teams prefer to avoid until the last possible moment. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga Could Become A Painful Hawks What-If Fast
Jonathan Kumingas next stop has the feel of one of those moves that can linger around a team long after the paperwork is done. His blend of size, burst and versatility makes him the kind of young frontcourt piece clubs spend years trying to find, and the fit now being discussed puts him in a situation where the surroundings could help unlock more of that talent.
For Atlanta, the uneasy part is what comes next. Losing a player with Kumingas tools always invites second-guessing, especially for a team trying to build out its young frontcourt and sort through which pieces can grow together. If he settles in quickly elsewhere, the Hawks may be left wondering how much value they gave up and how expensive that kind of athletic upside can become. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Frontcourt Shakeup Opens A Bigger Role For An Unexpected Rookie
The Hawks have spent the summer reshaping the front line in a way that could create an unexpected opening for a rookie who was not supposed to be central to the conversation this soon. Jonathan Kuminga is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a sign-and-trade, and Atlantas own deal sending Zaccharie Risacher for Luguentz Dort has only added to the sense that the frontcourt rotation is in flux as the roster gets reworked around new pieces.
Zuby Ejiofor is the name to watch now, especially if Atlanta has to absorb more wear and tear up front. With the Hawks already carrying a thinner group in the paint and a few injury concerns still hanging over the roster, the rookie could find himself pushed into meaningful minutes faster than expected. For a team trying to hold the line while the roster settles, that makes Ejiofor an intriguing part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]