The Atlanta Hawks may not have made the loudest moves of the offseason, but they’ve put together a case for being better than they were a year ago.
That’s notable in a league where the offseason still has some cleaning up to do. More than half the NBA is carrying more than 15 players, and those roster crunches still need to be sorted out before the season starts. Atlanta is part of that group, but the bigger picture in town is more encouraging: this has been one of the more underrated summers around the league.
The Hawks are coming off a 20-6 finish after the All-Star Break and a six-game first-round series against the Knicks, and now they’re trying to build on that in what should be a tougher Eastern Conference. The case for improvement starts with something simple: continuity.
Quin Snyder’s group had to cycle through four different teams last season, but once the pieces finally settled, Atlanta found a starting five that worked. CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu clicked down the stretch, and that unit is back intact. It’s not being compared to Oklahoma City or San Antonio, but the Hawks now know exactly who they are to begin the year - a major change from the chaos of last season.
The bench is another reason optimism has crept in. Atlanta’s depth was shaky for long stretches a year ago, and the front office has tried to fix that.
The Hawks made two trades with Oklahoma City for Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort, both of whom should be in line for heavy minutes off the bench. Jock Landale returns as the backup center, while Kingston Flemings and Ryan Nembhard will battle for the backup point guard job.
Behind Jalen Johnson, the Hawks have Mouhamed Gueye, Asa Newell, and Zuby Ejiofor in position for expanded roles.
Not all of that depth will survive the roster squeeze, but Atlanta has a real chance to go 9-10 deep and feel good about it.
Defense is where the new pieces could really change the ceiling. Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker already gave the Hawks a strong defensive duo, and adding Dort gives them another physical, high-level stopper to throw at opponents. There’s a fair question about whether Dort will look the same away from Oklahoma City, but the Hawks have stacked enough defensive talent that they should at least be a Top 10 unit.
Then there’s the internal growth angle, which Atlanta has talked about all along. The Hawks are one of the youngest teams in the league, but the development has been real. Jalen Johnson made an All-NBA team, Nickeil Alexander-Walker won Most Improved Player, Dyson Daniels still has offensive upside to unlock, and Onyeka Okongwu just put together the best shooting season of his career.
That improvement story may not be finished yet. With larger opportunities for Wiggins and Landale, Atlanta could also get the best seasons of their careers.
In Other News...
Kingston Flemings Just Landed A Hawks Role Built For Growth
Kingston Flemings arrived in Atlanta as the No. 8 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but the Hawks are not rushing him into the deep end. Instead, they plan to ease the young guard into a lead role with the second unit, where he can handle the ball and learn the pro game with a little more room to grow.
Atlantas veteran additions of Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and CJ McCollum give the roster more structure around him, and that setup is clearly designed with the future in mind. The idea is for Flemings to develop as a facilitator first, then eventually move toward the starting point guard job once he is ready to take on that responsibility. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Face A Risky Kuminga Decision With Real Trade Value At Stake
Jonathan Kuminga has become one of the more complicated names in the Hawks orbit as Atlanta weighs whether to participate in a sign-and-trade framework with the Lakers. Los Angeles has been pushing to get a deal done, and the Hawks have at least been part of the conversation because Kuminga still carries real trade value, even as the negotiations have been slowed by questions about his contract expectations and how well he would fit the role the Lakers have in mind.
The appeal for Atlanta is obvious: Kuminga is the kind of talent that can move the needle if the price and structure are right. But the Hawks are also staring at the downside of committing to a deal that may not fully align with their timeline or roster needs, especially with the Lakers asking them to take on additional moving parts in the process. With the talks still unsettled, Atlanta is left to balance upside against risk while trying to avoid being the team that blinks first. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Smith Calls Out Bam Adebayo Over Controversial Rankings
Joe Johnson and Josh Smith had some fun with Bam Adebayos all-time player list on the Nightcap podcast, and the omission at the center of it turned the conversation into more than just a passing ranking debate. The former Hawks standouts zeroed in on Adebayo leaving LeBron James off the list, a choice that instantly gave the segment a different edge because any list that involves James is going to invite a second round of judgment.
Smith took the sharper route, suggesting Adebayo might be salty because James never joined Miami to play with him. The reaction spilled quickly into social media, where fans weighed in on the omission and on the relationship between Adebayo and James, turning a simple ranking exercise into another reminder of how even casual player lists can become a referendum on motives, respect, and old Heat-era connections. [Read more 🡒]