The Hawks have already put themselves in a good spot for 2026-27. After winning 46 games and claiming the No. 6 seed, Atlanta’s rotation looks even sturdier now with Luguentz Dort coming in as an elite defender and Aaron Wiggins adding shooting punch to an already deep group.
But for all that balance and depth, the real swing factor is still Jalen Johnson.
Johnson just turned in a career year and helped push Atlanta into the postseason, so this isn’t about tearing down what he’s become. His numbers were excellent across the board: 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.7 made threes per game, all while shooting .489/.352/.788. He also made a noticeable jump from deep, improving from .312 in 2024-25 to .352 in 2025-26.
The catch is that Johnson’s biggest strength and his biggest question mark can live side by side. He was electric in transition, averaging 1.21 points per transition possession and finishing fifth in the NBA in transition points per game. But when the Hawks needed him to go get a bucket in isolation, the production dipped to just 0.78 points per isolation possession.
That’s the hurdle Atlanta has to clear if it wants more than a strong floor.
Johnson’s overall offensive profile is still loaded with impact. According to Basketball Index, he ranked in the 98th percentile in passing creation volume and the 94th percentile in passing creation quality.
He also landed in the 83rd percentile in on-ball gravity and the 86th percentile in off-ball gravity. The package is obvious: he bends defenses, creates for others, and does it with a mix of volume and efficiency that’s hard to ignore.
Still, the next jump in the NBA usually comes down to whether someone can be trusted to own the biggest possessions. The four 2026 Conference Finalists all had that guy, and each one averaged at least 25.0 points per game. Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Donovan Mitchell and Victor Wembanyama all fit that mold, and all four are known for the kind of isolation skill and creativity that lets an offense put the ball in one player’s hands when the pressure rises.
That’s the bar for Johnson now.
If he becomes that level of scorer, the Hawks’ ceiling changes fast. If he doesn’t, Atlanta may have to find that answer somewhere else before it can move from good playoff team to real contender.
In Other News...
Hawks Still Have One Big Jonathan Kuminga Question Hanging Over Them
Jonathan Kuminga is still sitting in free agency late in the process, and the ripple effects are worth watching for a Hawks team that has kept an eye on the market around him. Cleveland had been seen as a possible landing spot, but the Cavaliers trade for Peyton Watson addressed a similar kind of positional need and may have changed their calculus. Meanwhile, the Lakers are widely viewed as the front-runner, though their path to Kuminga would require a sign-and-trade because of cap constraints.
For Atlanta, the important part is that the board is not settled yet. Other teams could still jump in, and Kuminga remains one of the more intriguing names left on the market because his next move still depends on how the rest of the free-agent picture unfolds. Even with the leading suitors starting to take shape, there is still enough uncertainty here to keep the Hawks watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Just Got Another Reminder How Tough The East Will Be
The East already looked deeper entering the season, and the latest move around the conference only reinforces how crowded the race is becoming. The Knicks have helped set the tone with their rise, while teams like the Hawks and Cavaliers have also pushed themselves into a more competitive tier, making the margin for error even smaller for anyone trying to climb the standings.
Cleveland added another layer to that picture by bringing in Peyton Watson, a move that gives a rising contender more length and versatility on the wing. For Atlanta, it is another reminder that the conference schedule will not offer many soft spots, with matchups likely to feel increasingly physical and playoff-like well before spring arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Johnson Faces The Question That Will Define The Hawks Season
Jalen Johnson entered last season as the Hawks new centerpiece after the Trae Young trade, and he answered the job with an All-Star debut and a place on the All-NBA team. For a team trying to reset around a younger core, that kind of leap gave Atlanta a real foundation, one built less on splash and more on the hope that Johnson could grow into the player who defines the next era.
The playoff series against the Knicks, though, left a more complicated picture, because the questions around Johnson were no longer about talent but about whether his game would travel when the stakes rose. Atlantas offseason reflected that same patience, with the front office opting to keep building gradually through youth and veteran additions rather than chase an instant co-star, leaving Johnson at the center of a plan that still needs proof. [Read more 🡒]