_This is the fourth of a series of roundtable questions I’m asking the staff here at Peachtree Hoops about the Hawks this upcoming season. The fourth question: **what is your boldest ta**_**_ke for the Hawks in 2026-27?_**
**Wes:** Despite the NBA being an incredible difficult adjustment for rookie guards, I predict Kingston Flemings both makes the All-Rookie First Team and finds his way into the starting lineup by the end of the season. Throughout preseason, he already looks the part of a chiseled veteran guard, getting after it on defense and protecting the ball with a pristine assist-to-turnover ratio.
It’s rare for Kelvin Sampson to trust a freshman guard to run the show at Houston, but Flemings stepped in immediately and did just that. Why can’t he do the same for Quin Snyder and the Hawks this season?
**Malik:** My boldest take for the season is that the Hawks finish as a top-2 seed in the Eastern Conference. This team feels like they can do something similar to what the Detroit Pistons did the last two years, where they made the playoffs (and ironically played the Knicks) and then the following year was the No. 1 seed in the East. The Hawks brought back their core and made some key additions that will make them a better team.
If Jalen Johnson and others like Dyson Daniels can take another step in their game, the Hawks could (boldly) be a team to be reckoned with this season.
**Garrett:** The Hawks will finish as a top five defensive team, and Jalen Johnson will finish in the top five in MVP voting. I’m buying into the combination of Daniels, Alexander-Walker and Dort on the perimeter. Atlanta has the personnel to make opponents work for everything, and I expect that to become this team’s identity. The challenge is bringing that effort consistently, but I think this group can do it.
As for Johnson, I think that defensive support helps him take another leap. Having Dort available to handle tough assignments should allow Johnson to put more energy into leading the offense. He’ll still have responsibilities on both ends, but he doesn’t have to carry every burden himself. If he builds on his scoring and playmaking while leading Atlanta to a strong playoff seed, I believe he’ll give voters a reason to put his name in that top five conversation.
**Graham:** The Hawks will be the NBA’s best defensive team this season. The Hawks have so many defensive options now up and down the roster, so much versatility to play with. They have the option to put out the defensive lineup of Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Lu Dort, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu on the court.
However, this NBA leading defense is only possible if Jalen Johnson buys back into defense (which has never looked the same since his increased offensive role two seasons ago), the Hawks will lead the league in defensive rating. When he’s engaged on that end, Johnson is a very good defender, and if the Hawks are to contend he has to buy back in defensively.
See More:
* [Atlanta Hawks Preseason](/atlanta-hawks-preseason)
* [Opinion](/opinion)