The Atlanta Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021 but have been mired in mediocrity ever since. They haven't won a playoff series since then and haven't even made it to the playoffs in the last two seasons.
There has been talk about the Hawks needing to blow everything up and start over, but their actions this offseason might put an end to all that. The front office has done a pretty good job, and they're suddenly looking like a team on the rise once again.
Additions
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker
- Kristaps Porzingis
- Luke Kennard
Departures
- Clint Capela
- Caris LeVert
- Larry Nance Jr.
- Georges Niang
- Terance Mann
Here's what the Hawks' roster now looks like after these moves.
Point Guards: Trae Young, Kobe Bufkin, Vit Krejci
Shooting Guards: Dyson Daniels, Luke Kennard
Small Forwards: Zaccharie Risacher, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Power Forwards: Jalen Johnson, Mouhamed Gueye, Asa Newell
Centers: Kristaps Porzingis, Onyeka Okongwu
The Hawks can put out a fairly impressive starting lineup from this group, and they'd have some quality players coming off the bench as well. There is a good mix of youth and experience here, too.
The Hawks Are A Dark Horse In The East
The East has been the weaker conference compared to the West for years now, but the gap has probably never been wider. Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard suffering Achilles tears in the playoffs has led to the East being wide-open in 2025-26.
Quite a few teams would be fancying their chances of getting to the NBA Finals, and the Hawks have now thrust themselves into the mix. They are still not among the favorites but are a dark horse to win the East.
Trae Young is the head of the snake, and he averaged 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 11.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game in 2024-25. There are questions about whether Young is a "winning player," and he'll get a chance to prove that he is, now that he has a balanced team around him. Most importantly, this group can cover his biggest weakness, which is defense.
Dyson Daniels' defensive prowess makes him an ideal backcourt partner for Young. Daniels averaged 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 3.0 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game for the Hawks in 2024-25. He was named Most Improved Player and also finished runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.
Zaccharie Risacher also showed a lot of improvement as the 2024-25 season went on after being selected with the first pick of the 2024 NBA Draft. Risacher ended up averaging 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game as a rookie. He made the All-Rookie First Team, and it will be interesting to see if he takes a leap in his sophomore season.
Jalen Johnson will be slotting in at power forward as he returns from a torn labrum that caused him to miss the second half of last season. Johnson averaged 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for the Hawks in 2024-25. Those are excellent averages, but injuries are a concern when it comes to him. The Hawks will need that injury bug to stay away next season.
Speaking of injuries, that's the concern when it comes to Kristaps Porzingis as well. Porzingis averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game for the Boston Celtics in 2024-25. The Latvian only played in 42 games, though, and can't really be relied upon to stay upright for an entire season.
Fortunately for the Hawks, they have a great backup center in Onyeka Okongwu. Okongwu averaged 13.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game in 2024-25. He could end up starting over Porzingis as well, depending on the matchup.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is another excellent option off the bench. The Hawks acquired Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves via a sign-and-trade, and that's one of the better moves made this offseason. He averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the Timberwolves in 2024-25.
Luke Kennard is the other major acquisition who will be coming off the bench, and his outside shooting is something the Hawks needed. They don't have too many reliable snipers on their roster, and he has shot 43.8% from beyond the arc for his career.
In all, there is a lot to like about this Hawks team, and that's not something we have said for quite some time. This group is capable of making a deep run, and time will tell if they will.
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