The Hawks’ rookies are heading into summer league with a clear chance to make their first impression count, and the spotlight comes fast. With Atlanta still trying to get back above .500 after three straight seasons without doing it, the opening stretch in Salt Lake City will say plenty about what this group might become.
First up is Kingston Flemings, and the pressure lands right on the lottery pick’s shoulders. Atlanta is looking for aggression from its new point guard, who should be at least the second-best player on the floor depending on the matchup. He was the top player for the 2025-26 Houston Cougars, who finished 30-7 and also had Chris Cenac Jr. and Emanuel Sharp on the roster, so the Hawks expect his scoring and playmaking to show up right away.
That first test arrives on July 4th at the John M. Huntsman Center, where Jazz fans will fill the 15,000-seat building to see Darryn Peterson.
There’s a slim chance he doesn’t play, but it’s unlikely. That matchup should give Flemings a direct look at Peterson, who is regarded as a strong defender when healthy, while also putting Flemings’ own defense to work against the second-overall pick in front of his new fan base.
He’ll also get another two-way measuring stick against Brooklyn Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr.
Those games matter because they offer a clean comparison against positional competition, but the broader summer league slate is just as important for Flemings’ decision-making. That’s the skill Atlanta needs most as he works toward becoming a backup point guard on a winning team in year one, and the Hawks will be watching closely.
Zuby Ejiofor brings a different set of questions. Atlanta drafted him for his defensive upside and relentless work on the offensive glass, and his college production under Rick Pitino - 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds - is nothing to shrug off.
The athleticism jumps off the page, and it should translate immediately on cuts and second-chance chances. The bigger issue is how he fits offensively in Quin Snyder’s system.
That’s where summer league becomes so useful. Ejiofor shot 30.5% from three, which hints at more room to grow, but the Hawks need to see whether his shot profile can keep up with the team’s rising volume from deep.
According to TeamRankings.com, Atlanta ranked ninth in three-point field goal attempts, and that number is only expected to climb with additions like Aaron Wiggins. Because he went 23rd, Ejiofor should get a bit more leash than Flemings, and he’ll have his own demanding schedule, starting with Cameron Boozer on July 7th and then a rematch on July 16th if Boozer plays.
His development path matters because Atlanta believes in its system. The team’s developmental group has already produced two straight Most Improved Player awards, so there’s reason to be patient while Ejiofor’s game takes shape. For now, the Hawks need his athleticism and defense, and summer league will be the first real chance to see how much of that shows up.
Then there’s Henri Veesaar, who may have been the steal of the draft at 52nd overall after the Hawks acquired him from the Los Angeles Clippers. Draft Expert Adam Finklestein was glowing about the pick, saying, “The Hawks get an A (letter grade), you got a first-round caliber talent here that you were able to acquire just for cash. I mean this a home run for Atlanta,” and adding, “Because remember that Quin Snyder is one of the most creative offensive coaches in the NBA, and he just got a very skilled 7-footer, who can not only make threes, but he’s a very good three-point shooter.”
That offensive skill set is real, and at 22-years old he already looks NBA ready. Still, his summer league assignment starts on the defensive end, where Atlanta needs him to prove he can protect the rim and offer enough contest and anticipation to matter. The Eastern Conference knows that defense is the Hawks’ biggest weakness, so Veesaar’s early flashes there will be watched closely.
He’ll have some help in the frontcourt with Ejiofor, especially on the glass, but the individual tests come quickly. Veesaar faces Aday Mara, the 12th overall pick, on the 6th, one night before Atlanta’s matchup against the Grizzlies on the 7th.
Oklahoma City’s frontcourt also features Mara and Thomas Sorber, giving Veesaar a difficult battle against size and physicality. If he can hold up there, the Hawks could have a real answer at third center behind Onyeka Okongwu and, maybe, Jock Landale.
The shooting and rebounding should show up early. The rest - especially the frame and the defense - will take time.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Made A Backup Center Move With Bigger Implications
Atlantas front office has taken care of another frontcourt piece by bringing back Nicolo Melli on a one-year, $14 million fully guaranteed deal, a move that gives the Hawks some stability behind Onyeka Okongwu. Because Mellis Non-Bird Rights would not have gotten Atlanta close to that salary, the team is using nearly all of its non-taxpayer mid-level exception to make it happen, a sign the Hawks valued keeping a familiar reserve center in the fold after he gave them useful minutes last season.
Mellis return also says something about how the Hawks want to structure the bench as they navigate the rest of the summer. He missed the first-round playoff series against New York after a high right ankle sprain in early April, but Atlanta still seems comfortable locking him in for another year as the backup big. The bigger question now is how much flexibility remains elsewhere, because this latest move pushes the Hawks closer to the tax line and could shape what comes next on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Just Sent A Telling Message About Their Center Debate
Jock Landale is on track to return to Atlanta on a one-year deal, a move that adds another familiar piece to a Hawks frontcourt that already looks closer to settled than uncertain. Landale came in from Utah just before the trade deadline and was immediately handed a meaningful role, and now his comeback fits neatly with the front offices preference for continuity over a bigger, pricier swing at center.
The more telling part is what the Hawks are saying about the position overall: they appear comfortable with Onyeka Okongwu as the starter and are not chasing the highest-end names on the market. Landales late-season injury is part of why that frontcourt picture still feels unfinished, especially after Atlantas playoff loss to New York, where the team could have used more size, rim protection and rebounding in key moments. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Still Face One Risky Free Agency Fix They Can't Ignore
The Hawks head into free agency with a familiar problem sitting in plain sight: they need more interior size and better rim protection. Atlanta has a few different ways to tackle it, and the front office at least created some flexibility by declining the team option on Jonathan Kuminga, a move that could open up room to chase a center upgrade without getting boxed in financially.
The options come with different levels of upside and risk. Jock Landale gave Atlanta steady minutes down the stretch and could be in the mix again behind Onyeka Okongwu, while Sacha Mamukelashvilis breakout season gives the Hawks a more versatile frontcourt name to consider. Robert Williams III is the swing-for-the-fences target in the group, the kind of defender who changes the look of a paint overnight if he can stay healthy enough to be counted on. [Read more 🡒]