3 Atlanta Hawks Youngsters Who Will Be Ready for Bigger Role in 2026-2027

The Atlanta Hawks had a solid end to their season after the All-Star Break, going 20-6 and making the NBA playoffs. When you go on that kind of run with the young talent that Atlanta has, there can be an itch from fan bases and even from front offices to accelerate the timeline and try to get better quickly.

That is not what the Hawks front office wanted to do, though, and they said as much after the crushing game six loss to the New York Knicks. Atlanta wanted to get younger, and they did by drafting three players in a well-regarded draft class; all three players could contribute this season, but are more likely to be foundational pieces for the future.

Of the young players on the roster, who could be ready for a bigger role in the 2026-2027 season?

Asa Newell

The Atlanta Hawks do not have a clear-cut option at the backup power forward spot behind Jalen Johnson. Mouhamed Gueye likely would have been the favorite to have that role, but a foot injury is going to sideline him until potentially November or later.

That leaves either second-year forward Asa Newell or rookie Zuby Ejiofor as options behind the Hawks superstar and Newell has intriguing offensive skill, but for him to really insert himself into the rotation, his defense is going to have to improve, something Newell has admitted himself.

Newell played in 44 games last season for the Hawks and averaged 5.2 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 11.4 MPG while shooting 54% from the field and 39% from three. Most of his playing time came in the G-League for the College Park Skyhawks, where he averaged 22.2 PPG and 7.7 RPG while shooting 57% from the field and 38% from three in over 32 minutes per game.

The Hawks have gotten deeper this offseason, but Newell taking a meaningful leap would be huge.

Kingston Flemings

While the Hawks were hoping to move up into the top four of this loaded 2026 NBA Draft, getting to pick a talented player like Kingston Flemings at No. 8 is a nice consolation prize.

Atlanta needed a point guard in the short-term and long-term and I think Flemings is ready to take the role that Gabe Vincent played late last season for the Hawks. All rookies tend to struggle at the next level, particulalry guards, but Flemings is not going to be asked to do too much.

If he can handle this role well, it would potentially give him runway to enter the 2027-2028 season as the starter, but first things first.

Mouhamed Gueye

If Gueye had not sustained a foot injury this summer, I think he would have entered training camp as the front-runner to be the backup power forward.

Assuming that he is still on the roster when the season begins, that is still a possibility for the defensive minded forward.

Atlanta had to lean on Gueye to be the backup center late in the season after Jock Landale's injury, but Atlanta does not view him as a center and he was overtaxed in that role. He needs to grow as a three-point shooter, and all-around offensive player, but Gueye is already a very good defensive player in the league.

One of the three young power forwards needs to step up and Gueye has the most experience.

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