The Hawks are heading into summer league with a chance to make some noise, and the early stretch in Las Vegas should tell a lot about how this new group stacks up. Atlanta’s young core will be tested right away, starting July 9 against the San Antonio Spurs, a team that brings a loaded roster of Carter Bryant, Maliq Brown and Tarris Reed Jr.
That opener puts the spotlight on Kingston Flemings, who will be asked to steer the Spurs. The matchup should bring plenty of physical play inside, especially when he attacks the rim and forces Zuby Ejiofor to step up.
Ejiofor already showed that kind of impact against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and one of the more encouraging signs was that he did it with Flemings on the floor. If both players get rolling at the same time, that pairing could become a real problem in NBA Summer League.
Ejiofor’s recent three-point shooting only adds another layer, opening up five-out looks and clearing space in the paint.
The next night brings a different kind of test. Atlanta will face Mikel Brown Jr. and the Brooklyn Nets, with the game set for ESPN primetime at 8 PM ET.
Brown Jr. and Flemings never matched up in college, which gives their head-to-head a little extra juice. Their styles should make for a fast, back-and-forth game, and while Brooklyn has other intriguing pieces such as Egor Demin, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf, the guard battle is the one that will draw the most attention.
From there, the Hawks move into a tougher pair of games against the Celtics and Grizzlies. The big names may not all suit up, but Atlanta still has to be ready for Chris Cenac Jr., who played with Flemings in college and was part of the Elite Eight run.
That shared background gives both players a read on what the other likes to do, and Cenac Jr. knows Flemings’ basketball IQ as well. It should be a good chance for one former Cougar to get the better of the other.
Boston’s roster also includes rookie Dillon Mitchell and sophomore guard Hugo Gonzalez, though Atlanta’s group is deep in its own right. The Hawks will have three first-round picks in Flemings, Ejiofor and Asa Newell, along with the sharpshooting big man Henri Veesar.
The final game against Memphis on the 19th could bring one more layer of intrigue. Cameron Boozer, the third-overall pick, might sit out, but Cedric Coward and Karim Lopez should still give Atlanta a real challenge. Zach Cleveland is another underrated name who could make life difficult.
For the Hawks, the point of all this is bigger than any one box score. Whether they’re on the floor or learning from the bench, the experience should matter. Atlanta has a real chance to stand out this summer and show why this group could help push the team toward 50 wins this season.
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