The NBA’s offensive landscape is shifting-and the Atlanta Hawks are quietly positioning themselves right in the heart of that evolution.
In today’s game, it’s not just about having a superstar who can break down a defense. It’s about how well a team moves the ball and protects it.
The days of iso-heavy offenses dominating the postseason are fading. What’s replacing them?
Teams that spread the wealth, make the extra pass, and minimize mistakes. And that’s where the Hawks are starting to look more and more like a contender.
The return of Trae Young couldn’t come at a better time for Atlanta. Already one of the league’s best teams at taking care of the ball, the Hawks now get their offensive engine back-a player who can both initiate and finish possessions at a high level. Young’s presence adds another layer to an offense that’s already humming, and it gives head coach Quin Snyder a dynamic piece to juggle alongside the emergence of Jalen Johnson.
Now, managing the on-ball responsibilities between Johnson and Young will be a challenge. Both players thrive with the ball in their hands.
But that’s a good problem to have. When Young sits, Johnson has shown he can run the show.
When Johnson rests, Young can take over without missing a beat. That kind of dual-threat playmaking is exactly what today’s NBA demands.
And here’s where it gets interesting: the Hawks are already elite in one area that’s become a calling card for champions-assist-to-turnover ratio.
Over the past three seasons, the NBA title has gone to teams that don’t just move the ball well-they move it efficiently. The 2022-23 Nuggets, the 2023-24 Celtics, and the 2024-25 Thunder all ranked top-three in assist-to-turnover ratio.
That stat isn’t just a number-it’s a reflection of a team’s ability to play connected, unselfish basketball without giving away possessions. It’s the hallmark of a team that trusts each other and executes under pressure.
Right now, Atlanta sits sixth in that metric with a 2.005 AST/TO ratio. That puts them just behind the Celtics, Heat, Thunder, Knicks, and Nuggets-some of the league’s most disciplined and well-oiled offenses.
And the gap is razor-thin. Two of those teams are ahead of Atlanta by a margin of just 0.05 or less.
That’s one clean possession here, one turnover avoided there. In other words, the Hawks are right in the thick of it.
What’s more, this year’s numbers reflect a return to form. In 2023-24, nearly half the league posted an AST/TO ratio over 2.0-a statistical outlier compared to both the season before and the current one, where only seven teams have cracked that threshold. Atlanta is part of that selective club, and they’ve done it largely without their franchise point guard.
That’s no small feat.
The trend is clear: recent champions have leaned less on solo heroics and more on collective execution. Sure, Jokic, Tatum, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are stars in their own right.
But what’s set their teams apart is how well the supporting cast has shouldered the offensive load. It’s not just one guy dominating the ball-it’s five players moving in sync.
Think 2014 Spurs, not 2016 Cavaliers.
That’s the mold Atlanta is starting to fit. With Young back in the mix and a supporting cast that includes Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Vit Krejci, and Luke Kennard-all capable of making smart reads and keeping the ball moving-the Hawks have the pieces to play that style.
And if they can keep trending upward in the assist-to-turnover department? They might just find themselves in the same company as the last three champs-not just statistically, but in the standings, too.