What Would Make A Unsuccessful Season for the Atlanta Hawks?

With expectations being heightened around Atlanta, what makes for a rather unsuccessful season for the Hawks?

Feb 11, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) talks to referee Natalie Sago (9) after a call against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Recently, I did an article about the best-case scenario for the Hawks' season and what ideal things would need to happen for them to succeed at a high level. Today, however, I'll be going over the different ways this could be the worst-case scenario for the Hawks this season, and how this could potentially impact the future of Atlanta.

This season, the Hawks are heading into one of the more intriguing situations of most teams in the NBA, as they have a lot of young talent, but also some of their best players are heading into their final year on their contract. This can make for some of the best seasons for most guys, but it can also end in disappointment for some, as injuries or poor play could derail how much they get paid or if they get offered a contract extension in Atlanta.

Jeff Teague:

“The Hawks are going to make the playoffs, conference finals without a doubt... Have Porzingis spread, pause. He about to be lining up half-court shooting threes. Trae Young going to have all this room to operate… Porzingis? Bro, he in contract year, you know how… pic.twitter.com/NZ8YVegJcj

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 21, 2025

Young's potential future

Jan 18, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the first quarter at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

There have been some in the NBA media who have questioned the future of Young in Atlanta. In a recent article episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, Young's future in Atlanta was in question, and ESPN insider Tim MacMahon commented on his future with the team:

MacMahon argued at the 44:52 mark in the newest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast the Hawks have done well to build a roster that plays to Young's strengths and weaknesses right now. Still, the NBA insider isn't sure whether the four-time All-Star and Atlanta are locked in a "long-term marriage."

Young has a $49 million player option for 2026-27."

As for what it would take for the Hawks to have a less-than-ideal or worst-case-scenario season, it would likely be Trae Young having a struggling season, injuries, Porzingis not living up to expectations, and the team struggling as a whole.

1. Trae Young Struggles

For Young, this is a contract season for him, and he has said that he wants to remain a Hawk for the remainder of his career, but it's looking like that wish could be in jeopardy if things continue to go as they've been the last few seasons. In Young's tenure, the Hawks have made the playoffs three times in his seven seasons with the team, and at times, fans and media have made the case that it has fallen on Young due to his inefficiency and turnovers at crucial points of games. If that were to continue this season, the Hawks would find themselves in a similar situation to the last few seasons, as the Hawks have been in the Play-In Tournament since 2022, after it was made official in 2020. This is part of the reason the Hawks organization has been skeptical of giving Young his extension, in that they have doubts about him being a franchise player for years to come.

2. Injuries

Feb 24, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks injured players forward Jalen Johnson (1) and guard Vit Krejci (27) sit on the bench during the game against the Miami Heat at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

In the past few seasons, the Hawks have dealt with injuries, which have led them to missing the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. As we all know, injuries can derail teams that were expected to have impactful, playoff-like seasons, resulting in mediocre ones at the very least. The Hawks have some players on the roster who are known to have dealt with injuries in the past, and if it were to occur this season, it could make things that much more difficult for them moving forward.

3. Porzingis Not Working In Atlanta

The Hawks organization made a swing on Porzingis this summer, and it was ultimately viewed by many as a good move, but some still have doubts due to his recent injury history. Since early in Porzingis' career, he has been known to deal with some nagging injuries and some season-ending injuries. Still, this past season in Boston, he missed a significant amount of time due to undisclosed illness. If Porzingis didn't work in Atlanta, it would likely be due to his ability to adapt in a more pick-and-roll-oriented role and being relied on as a consistent defensive rim protector, or due to injury.

4. The Team Struggles

Even though Atlanta seems to have the pieces necessary to compete, it still hasn't gone their way over the last few seasons, and part of that is due to pieces not fitting together, which is why we are where we are now. The Hawks traded for another All-Star previously in Dejounte Murray, and the team struggled to win games, leading Atlanta to land the number one overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and trade for Dyson Daniels. Suppose the team finds itself struggling with defense and three-point shooting. In that case, we will likely see the Hawks dealing with similar situations as we saw this offseason and moving in a different direction with the team.