Four Reasons the Atlanta Hawks Could Be Better Than Last Season

The Hawks have made moves that they hope fortifies their position in the Eastern Conference for the upcoming season

Apr 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder on th sideline against the New York Knicks in the second quarter during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The offseason has slowed down considerably, but it is not done yet in the NBA. Over half the league is over the roster limit of 15 players and those dilemmas will need to be solved before the season begins.

The Atlanta Hawks are one of those teams, and Atlanta has had one of the most underrated offseasons in the entire league. They did not make any blockbuster trades, but after they finished 20-6 after the All-Star Break and took the Knicks to six games in the first round of the playoffs, Atlanta is hoping to improve upon that mark in what is going to be a more competitive Eastern Conference.

Here are four reasons I think they are going to be improved this season.

More Cohesion

Apr 28, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) during the second quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As head coach Quin Snyder would tell you, the Hawks had to play with four different teams last season, but once they had their team settle in, they had one of the best starting units in the NBA.

CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu really meshed well together down the stretch of the season and complement each other well.

That same starting five is back and they are going to enter the season knowing how they want to play together.

That is not to say they are going to be perfect and that they have a starting lineup on par with Oklahoma City or San Antonio, but unlike the start of last season (and really throughout the entire year), the Hawks know their lineup and what makes it work.

Better Depth

May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) reacts in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the starting lineup for the Hawks was very good down the stretch of the season, the depth was very questionable.

Atlanta has done their best to upgrade the bench this offseason and I think they have largely succeeded.

The Hawks pulled off two smart trades with Oklahoma City for Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort, two players who are going to play heavy minutes off the bench. Jock Landale is back as the backup center, Kingston Flemings and Ryan Nembhard are going to compete for the backup point guard role, and players like Mouhamed Gueye, Asa Newell, and Zuby Ejiofor are going to be in line for a potential upgraded role behind Jalen Johnson.

Some of the depth is going to be trimmed because the Hawks are in a roster crunch, but this team could go as deep as a 9-10 man rotation and feel great about it.

Defensive Potential

Apr 28, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) is fouled by Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) as he drives to the basket during the second quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Hawks already had a great defensive pairing between Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but adding Dort to this mix is going to make life very difficult on opposing teams.

Will Dort be as effective in Atlanta as he was with the Thunder? That is a fair question, but he is a high-level, physical defender. Adding in Wiggns, Gueye, Ejiofor, and Flemings, the Hawks should at worst be a Top 10 defense in the league.

Internal Development

Apr 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots against the New York Knicks in the third quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Hawks have preached and preached about the path of internal development for this young core.

Atlanta is one of the youngest teams in the NBA, but they have seen steady progression from their roster. Jalen Johnson made an All-NBA team, Nickeil Alexander-Walker won Most Improved Player, Dyson Daniels has plenty of offensive growth to show, and Onyeka Okongwu is coming off the best shooting season of his career.

Those players still have a path to improve, but with a bigger role for players like Wiggins and Landale, you might get the best seasons of those players careers.