There has arguably not been a team that has improved more in this NBA offseason than the Atlanta Hawks.
Things got started with the big three-team trade that landed the Hawks Kristaps Porzingis and they continued into the actual free agent period. Atlanta signed arguably the top free agent on the market when they inked former Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year $62 million deal and then free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard signed a one-year 11$ million deal.
The biggest move for the Hawks though was on draft night. After trading the No. 22 pick to the Nets in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, Atlanta was left with the No. 13 pick in the draft. The Hawks were able to move back from 13 to 23 in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans and in return, the Hawks got an unprotected 2026 first round pick that will be the most favorable of New Orleans or Milwaukee. There is a chance that the pick ends up being a top five or higher selection
With these new additions, what will the Hawks starting lineup look like? Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley says he thinks it is pretty straight forward:
Predicted starters: Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, Kristaps Porziņģis
“Atlanta’s opening group feels, for the most part, pretty straight forward.
Young is the franchise centerpiece and a high-end floor general. Daniels and Johnson both had breakout 2024-25 seasons and help provide the defensive protection a Young-centric roster needs. All three could be longtime starters for the Hawks (assuming the front office is comfortable covering the cost of Young’s next contract, of course).
That leaves two decision points for the coaching staff. One boils down to either sticking with Risacher, last year’s No. 1 overall pick, or rolling with newcomer Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who arrived with a new $62 million deal in hand. The other revolves around starting the skilled-but-oft-injured Porziņģis or returning Onyeka Okongwu to the starting role he filled during this past season’s second half.
So, why side with Risacher and Porziņģis here? We’re wagering that the Hawks feel compelled to furthering the French player’s development as best they can and might like the idea of having Alexander-Walker’s playmaking off the bench, anyway.
The Porziņģis-Okongwu debate is trickier, but the former’s shot-blocking and floor-spacing feel like the best fits with Young.”
I think the main debate is going to focus on the Porzingis-Okongwu decision. It is a good decision for head coach Quin Snyder to have, and the bigger question may actually be how Snyder divides the minutes. Porzingis will help the Hawks with bigger matchups, and he is a better floor spacer than Okongwu, though Okongwu did improve last season. The under-discussed thing about adding Porzingis is that he can play alongside Okongwu, though it is not clear how much that will actually happen.
The Hawks have upgraded in a major way this offseason and will have one of the best rosters in the Eastern Conference. How they choose to deploy their new acquisitions will be a storyline to watch.
