The Hawks have already logged more Summer League run than most teams, and the early returns have been hard to ignore. Atlanta opened in Salt Lake City before heading to Las Vegas, and across the combined slate the Hawks are 4-1 with a four-game winning streak. In Vegas alone, they’re 2-0.
That kind of start fits the shape of Atlanta’s summer roster. This was one of the stronger groups in the field from the jump, with multiple first-round picks getting chances to show what they can do and a few players who already have two-way experience with the organization.
The rookie who has stood out most so far is Ejiofor. Atlanta surprised some people when it selected him with the No. 23 pick in last month’s draft, but the Hawks clearly had a plan in mind for what he could become. Even in the summer setting, he’s giving them plenty to like.
Ejiofor has brought the same edge and physical presence he showed in college, and he has also flashed the outside shooting range that was the big question attached to his game at the next level. Add in his ability to defend and protect the rim, and he has checked a lot of the boxes Atlanta wanted to see.
That does not mean he’s locked into a major role once the season begins. But he has shown enough to suggest he may be capable of handling more than people expected.
Kingston Flemings has had a different kind of start. The shot has been uneven - mostly uneven - but the No. 8 overall pick has looked calm running the offense and has shown the poise Atlanta wanted when it drafted him. In the two games he has played in Vegas, Flemings is averaging 6.5 APG and 3.5 turnovers per game.
He’s also made his presence felt on defense. Through four Summer League games, Flemings has six steals and four blocks, and the biggest adjustment from Houston to the NBA has included picking up full court, among other things.
That has only strengthened the idea that Flemings is on track to take over as the Hawks’ backup point guard this season. So far, nothing in Summer League has pushed back against that expectation. He’s played fast, fit the team’s style, and looked comfortable doing it.
There’s also a roster spot still up for grabs on a two-way deal, and Kobe Johnson has made a strong early push for it. The brother of Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has gotten off to a good start and is making his case to be Atlanta’s final two-way addition.
Keshon Gilbert and RayJ Dennis already hold the other two-way contracts, leaving one opening. Johnson has elite defensive tools, and he has been putting in work on the offensive end as well.
In two games in Vegas, Johnson is averaging 14.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 2.5 APG while shooting 50% from the field and 25% from three on four attempts per game. He’s also averaging 1.5 SPG.
Atlanta has gotten useful production from two-way players before, and Johnson has the kind of profile worth developing. If he keeps this up in Vegas, he could end up getting rewarded.
In Other News...
Ranking The Hawks Moves That Could Define This Front Office
The Hawks spent the offseason trying to thread a tricky needle: get better now without losing sight of what comes next. That meant swinging big for Aaron Wiggins from Oklahoma City at the cost of two first-round picks, then turning around and adding three rookies with the No. 8, No. 23 and No. 57 selections while also keeping familiar veterans around on one-year deals to stabilize the rotation.
There is a clear logic to the mix, even if the front office is still waiting to see how it all fits together. CJ McCollum gives Atlanta another proven shot creator, Jock Landale adds insurance behind Onyeka Okongwu, and Mouhamed Gueyes option keeps a developmental piece in place, but the move that may say the most about where the Hawks are headed is the one for Devin Carter, a former lottery pick whose defensive upside could make him another useful layer in the bench picture. [Read more 🡒]
What The Hawks Really Preserved In The Jock Landale Deal
The Hawks move for Jock Landale came with more than just a new big man on the roster. As part of the broader contract picture around the deal, Landale, Jordan Clarkson and Charles Bassey all agreed to waive the implicit no-trade protection in their contracts, a small but meaningful detail that gives teams more flexibility down the road. For Atlanta, that kind of cleanup matters almost as much as the player acquisition itself, especially when every roster move has to be weighed against future cap maneuvering.
Landales agreement also fits into a wider league-wide run of contract housekeeping, with details emerging on players such as Trey Lyles, Jaylen Clark, Marcus Smart, Norman Powell, Ousmane Dieng, Jaxson Hayes, Josh Okogie and Jusuf Nurkic. One of the more interesting side notes for the Hawks is how little room the deal leaves in their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is the sort of constraint that can shape the rest of a teams offseason just as much as the headline move. [Read more 🡒]
Mouhamed Gueye Suddenly Faces A Real Hawks Rotation Threat
Mouhamed Gueye has given the Hawks something to like on the defensive end, where his length and activity have helped him carve out a place on the roster conversation. Atlanta also recently picked up his one-year team option, a sign that the organization still sees value in keeping him around, even as the bigger question remains whether his game can grow enough on the other side of the floor to make him more than a situational piece.
Now the pressure is coming from a different direction, with rookies Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar turning heads in summer league and adding more bodies to a frontcourt mix that is starting to feel crowded. For Gueye, the path forward is pretty clear: keep defending, cut down the mistakes, and show enough offensive progress to stay ahead of the newcomers, because if that part of his game stalls, Atlanta may start looking at its options sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]