The Atlanta Hawks’ guard picture looks a lot different after the Trae Young trade, and that’s where the real question starts. Sending Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kipsert didn’t just move out the face of the franchise. It also took away one of the league’s best passers and playmakers, and that matters when the new centerpiece entering his age-35 season is McCollum, whose game has never been built around setting everybody else up.
At the top, Atlanta is expecting McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels to make up the starting backcourt mix, even if Daniels is more of a combo forward/guard who can defend multiple spots. That group gives the Hawks a starting base, but the concern has been what comes after it.
That issue only got louder when Atlanta waived Devin Carter and traded Ryan Nembhard. The Hawks did draft Kingston Flemings, but as training camp has gone on, the guard depth still looks pretty thin.
Dennis and Gilbert both drew praise, and the source notes that both were excellent for the College Park Skyhawks last season, but asking them to log meaningful NBA minutes this year would be a major leap. And since they’re two-way players, they wouldn’t be available in the playoffs anyway.
One name that could change the conversation is Wiggins. The idea is that he might unlock another level this season if Atlanta asks him to do more with the ball and as a playmaker.
In Oklahoma City, he was mainly asked to space the floor, make open threes, handle the ball only occasionally and defend. With the Hawks short on guards and Flemings still a rookie, there’s a real argument for giving Wiggins a bigger role and seeing what comes out of it.
If that doesn’t happen, and he stays mostly a 3-and-D wing, then even more pressure shifts to Flemings to produce right away.
Asked about the position during his preseason media availability, Hawks President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh said he believes the team has enough there:
"Yeah, like we're really excited about our guards. We feel like we're pretty deep at that position in a lot of ways.
Like, when you look at, you know, CJ, Nickeil, Dyson, Kingston, Aaron could handle a lot too. Jalen's a primary handler a lot of times as well.
So we feel like we have enough ball handlers and guys to initiate offense. Then like we have a couple two-way guys that are pretty good and you guys saw with summer league during some stretches but like he's Keshon and RayJ have been phenomenal for us."
That’s the tension for Atlanta heading into the season. If the starters hold up and perform at a similar level or better, the Hawks can probably survive the back end of the rotation.
But if they don’t, then Flemings and Wiggins suddenly become much more important than anyone would like. The talent and the opportunity are there.
The downside is there too, and it’s easy to see if those pieces don’t click.
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Hawks Preseason Opener Could Reveal Quin Snyders First Real Rotation Clues
The first look at Quin Snyders new group comes in the preseason opener at home against the Memphis Grizzlies, and for the Hawks it is less about the final score than about sorting out the shape of the roster. With a No. 8 overall pick and several recent additions in the mix, Atlanta is using camp and exhibition play to start answering the biggest early questions: who fits where, who can handle real minutes and which combinations deserve a longer look.
Snyder has already pointed to the progress of rookies Flemings and Ejiofor during training camp, and the opener should offer the first real clues about how close they are to earning trust in a live setting. The Hawks also have some room to sort through the backcourt after recent moves, which makes the competition for rotation spots even more interesting as preseason begins to matter a little more than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Trae Young Just Revived A Hawks Debate Fans Never Expected
Trae Youngs future keeps finding its way back into Atlanta conversations, even after the franchise moved on and built a different-looking team. Asked about the possibility of returning to the Hawks, Young left the door open with a simple, You never know, which was enough to stir up a familiar debate for a fan base that spent years centered around him.
The harder part is figuring out where a reunion would actually fit now. Atlanta has since reshaped its roster and identity with a stronger emphasis on defense and a new wave of younger pieces, including Jalen Johnson and Kingston Flemings, so any potential comeback would come with plenty of roster and style questions. For now, there is no sign the Hawks are actively exploring that kind of move, even if Young has not shut it down. [Read more 🡒]
Onyeka Okongwu Is Reaching A Hawks Turning Point Fans Can't Ignore
Onyeka Okongwu has come a long way since the Hawks drafted him in 2020, and his steady rise has made him one of the more interesting pieces in Atlantas current build. His development has fit neatly into the teams small-ball approach, giving the Hawks a center who can do more than just anchor the paint and helping him look more comfortable as the years have gone on.
Still, the conversation around Okongwu never fully seems to stop at production. Some fans remain unconvinced he can be the kind of center a contender leans on deep in the postseason, and that skepticism has kept his name in the trade-rumor orbit. He is entering his seventh season, and with another contract milestone ahead, the Hawks may soon have to answer a question they can no longer avoid. [Read more 🡒]