The Atlanta Hawks didn’t spend the end of last season chasing a shortcut. Even after ripping off a 20-6 run after the All-Star Break and reaching the NBA playoffs, the front office made it clear after the crushing game six loss to the New York Knicks that the goal was to get younger, not rush the timeline.
That approach showed up in the draft, where Atlanta added three players in a well-regarded class. All three can help this season, but they’re more likely to become core pieces down the line. And if you’re looking ahead to 2026-2027, there are a few young Hawks who already look like candidates for much bigger jobs.
One of the clearest opportunities is behind Jalen Johnson at backup power forward, where the depth chart is still unsettled. Mouhamed Gueye was the likeliest answer there before a foot injury that could keep him out until November or later. That opens the door for second-year forward Asa Newell or rookie Zuby Ejiofor.
Newell has the more obvious offensive pop. He played in 44 games last season and put up 5.2 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 11.4 MPG while shooting 54% from the field and 39% from three.
Most of his minutes came with the College Park Skyhawks, where he averaged 22.2 PPG and 7.7 RPG in over 32 minutes per game, shooting 57% from the field and 38% from three. The skill is there, but Newell has also acknowledged that his defense has to improve before he can really lock into a rotation role.
Atlanta has added more depth this offseason, but a leap from Newell would still matter a lot.
The Hawks also landed a point guard they clearly believe can help both now and later in Kingston Flemings, whom they selected at No. 8 after missing out on a move into the top four of the 2026 NBA Draft. Flemings is in line to handle the role Gabe Vincent filled late last season, and while rookies - especially guards - usually take their lumps, he won’t be asked to carry too much right away. If he handles that assignment, there’s a path for him to be the starter entering the 2027-2028 season.
Gueye, though, still has a real case to be part of that future. If he’s healthy and on the roster when the season starts, he could still be the favorite for the backup power forward job.
Atlanta had to use him as a backup center late last season after Jock Landale’s injury, but the Hawks don’t see him as a center, and that stretch clearly overextended him. Gueye needs to develop as a three-point shooter and as a more complete offensive player, but he’s already a strong defender.
Among Atlanta’s young power forwards, someone has to seize the opening. Gueye has the most experience, and that may keep him at the front of the line.
In Other News...
Hawks Suddenly Have A Real Opening In A Shaken Up East
The Eastern Conference just got a lot less predictable, and the ripple effects could reach Atlanta. Bostons decision to move Jaylen Brown and bring back Paul George and draft picks has changed the leagues balance near the top, while the Hawks enter the new season coming off a sixth-place finish and with a roster that looks improved enough to keep climbing.
For Atlanta, the real takeaway is that the usual roadblocks may not be as fixed as they once seemed. If Bostons new look takes time to settle in, and if the rest of the East keeps reshuffling around it, the Hawks have a chance to turn a crowded playoff race into something more manageable. The standings could still be in flux for a while, and that gives Atlanta a window it did not have before. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Korver's Hawks Legacy Deserves A Bigger Conversation
Kyle Korvers run with Atlanta has already become one of those stretches that feels more important with time. He arrived as a sharpshooter, but his impact went well beyond spacing the floor, especially during the 2014-15 season when the Hawks surged to the top of the East and reached the conference finals. Korvers lone All-Star nod came in that season, a fitting marker for a player who helped define one of the most memorable eras in recent franchise history.
Now his departure from the front office adds another layer to a Hawks story that still deserves a fuller look. After finishing his playing career, Korver returned in a different role and spent the past few years as the teams Director of Player Affairs and Development, continuing a connection that bridged eras inside the organization. For a franchise that has cycled through plenty of change, Korver remains one of the clearest links to a period when Atlanta felt both stable and genuinely contender-worthy. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Roster Crunch Could Set Up Bigger Moves Than Fans Expect
The Hawks are heading into camp with a roster squeeze already hanging over them, as they sit at 17 players and need to trim down to the regular-season limit of 15. That kind of numbers problem usually gets framed as a housekeeping chore, but in Atlantas case it could turn into something more consequential, especially with several familiar names now part of the conversation as possible trade pieces or the odd man out.
Kispert, Hield, Carter, McCollum, Dort and Landale all come up for different reasons, whether it is contract structure, team fit or simple roster math. The bigger subplot is that some expiring deals can also give the Hawks flexibility if a star shakes loose, which means the next move may not just be about clearing space, but about keeping enough optionality to strike if the right deal appears. [Read more 🡒]