Aday Mara has been stealing some of the preseason spotlight, but the Hawks have every reason to feel good about the rookie they brought in instead.
That buzz around Mara made sense. Plenty of Atlanta fans wanted him this summer, and the appeal was obvious: the Hawks have spent several seasons getting pushed around inside, and stronger teams have made a habit of attacking them in the paint.
But as the roster gets reshaped, the need for a classic interior stopper looks a little different than it used to. With better perimeter defense in the mix, the absence of a traditional big doesn’t land quite as hard.
And in Kingston Flemings, Atlanta may already have found a different answer to one of its bigger problems.
The eighth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has looked poised from the jump. Even in his first preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies, he didn’t look rattled by the moment.
Thrust into the starting lineup shortly before tipoff after CJ McCollum was ruled out, Flemings put up 11 points and two assists while shooting 4-11 from the field. Not a perfect debut, but a solid one for a 19-year-old asked to adjust on the fly.
Then came Mara’s run.
On Oct. 6, he delivered 12 points and nine rebounds in 18 minutes against the Oklahoma City Thunder, doing it on a spotless 5-5 shooting night. He somehow topped that the next night in the second game of a back-to-back, scoring 22 points on 10-10 shooting and staying perfect through his first NBA preseason appearances.
That put a little extra pressure on Flemings to answer. He did.
Against the Spurs, coming off the bench, Flemings looked much more settled in a role that suits a teenager a little better. He scored 15 points in 20 minutes, added three rebounds and five assists, and chipped in three steals.
The efficiency stood out, but so did the command. One note from the night captured that feel: “He's controlling the early quarter
Just had a sick fastbreak dunk too”
For Atlanta, that kind of play matters. If Flemings can keep giving them real ball-handling and steady offense from the second unit, the choice to go in another direction than Mara won’t look like a miss. It may look like the start of fixing a different weakness altogether.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Got An Early Warning About This Spurs Team
The Hawks got the first look at a Spurs team that is still sorting itself out, but San Antonio left enough on tape to make this feel like more than a routine preseason result. Even in a loss, the Spurs had encouraging signs from Dylan Harper and Victor Wembanyama, two players whose growth could shape how dangerous this group becomes once the games count for real.
Harper looked more comfortable stretching the floor and finding ways to contribute beyond simple shot creation, while Wembanyamas activity on the glass hinted at a bigger impact in the areas that can tilt possessions. For Atlanta, the opener served as an early reminder that San Antonio may not be far from turning preseason promise into something much more troublesome during the season. [Read more 🡒]
Dyson Daniels Still Has One Big Issue The Hawks Need Solved
Dyson Daniels gave the Hawks a useful preseason glimpse of the player they believe they are paying for, scoring 13 points and pulling down 11 rebounds in one recent game while continuing to flash the kind of size and activity that fits around Atlantas core. He also enters this season with a much bigger offensive burden after signing a $100 million deal, which makes every piece of his scoring profile matter a little more as the Hawks try to sort out how he fits.
The concern, though, is still the same one that has followed him early in preseason: Daniels has not yet found a rhythm from outside, and Atlanta will keep looking for signs that his half-court game can travel against better defensive opponents. The Hawks next stretch brings the Pacers, Thunder and Mavericks, a run that should ask more of him as a creator and shot-maker, and could provide a clearer read on how close he is to rounding out that part of his game. [Read more 🡒]
Kingston Flemings Is Giving The Hawks A Real Reason To Feel Better
Kingston Flemings has made himself part of the conversation this preseason for the Hawks, and not just because he has been getting starts. The young guard has looked steady in game action, bringing a calm approach while also showing he can contribute on both ends, including a notable outing with 15 points and active defense. For a team that has spent the preseason sorting out rotation questions, that kind of stability from a newcomer matters.
Flemings has also talked about his approach to the game and the adjustments he has made since training camp, which is exactly the sort of detail coaches want to hear from a player trying to carve out a role. With the backup point guard spot suddenly there to be won, every clean possession and every confident read seems to carry a little extra weight, and Flemings has given Atlanta a real reason to feel better about where that search might be headed. [Read more 🡒]