Kingston Flemings’ first real test as a rookie may not come from an opponent at all. It could come from the league office.
Late in the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s recent loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, Flemings elbowed Bryce McGowens in the face and was quickly ejected. The game was already well out of reach, so the immediate damage was limited. The bigger issue is what happens next if the league decides to add a suspension on top of the ejection.
That’s where Atlanta’s depth gets exposed. Flemings has been a steady source of ball-handling and shot creation for the second unit through seven games, and losing that piece would force the Hawks to reshuffle a rotation that already doesn’t have much margin for error.
A short suspension feels like the most realistic outcome, but even that would put pressure on a roster that can’t really absorb another hit. This wasn’t a repeat-offender situation.
It was a rookie mistake, and one he can learn from. Still, with this Hawks group, even a small absence matters.
Atlanta already took a gamble by moving on from both Devin Carter and Ryan Nembhard right before the season, betting on Flemings to help stabilize the backcourt. Now the Hawks are left with just two point guards on the roster: Flemings and CJ McCollum.
McCollum is technically listed as a point guard, but Flemings might be the only true one on the team. That creates a real playmaking problem. Forward creators can help, sure, but if neither guard spot is producing reliable offense, the whole shape of the attack starts to wobble.
The Hawks are already under .500, and this is not the kind of roster built to weather extended growing pains after major offseason changes. If Flemings is sidelined, Atlanta will have to lean harder on its veterans.
There’s no doubt CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker can score. After a breakout scoring season in 2025-26, Alexander-Walker has brought that production into this year and kept it going. McCollum’s start, though, has not been ideal, and Atlanta needs more from him as a playmaker.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Sent A Clear Signal About Asa Newells Role
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Newells path has not been a straight line, though, with the forward appearing in 47 games across his first two seasons as he continues to try to carve out a steadier role. The option decision came before the Nov. 2 deadline, and while it secures his place financially, it also leaves open the bigger question of how much of a role he can win as the Hawks keep sorting out their frontcourt rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Suddenly Have A Frontcourt Problem Ahead Of Indiana
The Hawks are heading into their matchup with Indiana with their frontcourt suddenly looking thin, and the injury report could force some quick decisions before tipoff. Jalen Johnson is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain, while Jock Landale, Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar have all been ruled out, leaving Atlanta with fewer options than usual up front.
If Johnson cannot go, the Hawks may have to get creative with their rotation and piece together the center spot on the fly. That could mean leaning on younger depth and scrambling the frontcourt alignment in a game where the Pacers will be able to test every bit of that flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Just Sent A Strong Message About Asa Newells Role
Asa Newells first night in the Hawks rotation came with more than just a chance to get on the floor. In the game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta gave the rookie real minutes and a real role, and he answered with a lively performance that fit the kind of energy this team has been searching for off the bench and around the edges of the rotation.
The timing of that usage matters, too, because the Hawks clearly are not treating Newell like a throw-in development piece. After his season debut, the organization moved quickly to show confidence in his place in the long-term picture, and his 19-minute outing only reinforced why. Even in a loss, he looked like a player who could carve out a bigger slice of the rotation sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]