How the Atlanta Hawks New-Look Rotation Will Work Best

The Atlanta Hawks still have some decisions to make over how their roster is going to look before the season starts in October, but the majority of the offseason work has been done for Onsi Saleh and the rest of the Hawks' front office.

Atlanta spent this offseason bringing back core players from last season's team, including CJ McCollum and Jock Landale, while also going out and adding Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and Henri Veesaar through the draft, and Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Devin Carter, and Ryan Nembhard via trade. Will that result in another playoff appearance in Atlanta?

With new additions comes a new rotation though and that is something that Hawks head coach Quin Snyder is going to have to figure out in training camp and throughout the season.

So how will things pan out?

Starters

Jalen Johnson Atlanta Hawk — 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

G- CJ McCollum
G- Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F- Dyson Daniels
F- Jalen Johnson
C- Onyeka Okongwu

I don't think the Hawks starting lineup is going to change this season. While the acquisition of Dort made some question that, I think he is going to be best served coming off the bench and gives Atlanta another versatile defender on the perimeter.

This was one of the best starting fives in the NBA after the All-Star Break, but it is fair to wonder how much of that was because of the amount of tanking teams they played across that span. There are not going to be many layup wins across the NBA this season with the amount of tanking teams diminishing, so this lineup will have plenty to prove, but they showed their upside towards the end of last season.

Key Reserves

G- Kingston Flemings
G/F- Aaron Wiggins
G/F- Lu Dort
F- Mouhamed Gueye
F-Zuby Ejiofor
F- Asa Newell
C- Jock Landale

Flemings, Dort, Wiggins, and Landale are going to be the Hawks' top four reserves off the bench this season, and I think it is going to be interesting to see how Snyder incorporates them with different players in the starting lineup.

I think one thing that is going to be missing versatility wise for Atlanta is the ability for the Hawks to play Okongwu alongside Landale. Last season, Atlanta loved the idea of playing Okongwu and Kristaps Porzingis together, but that is not likely to be something they do with Porzingis.

The immediate question that arose when the Hawks traded for Dort was how he would be able to play alongside Dyson Daniels, who was just an 18% three-point shooter last season. Dort has had seasons where he has been very good at shooting the ball, but last season he struggled, and aside from three-point shooting, Dort does not add a lot of value on offense. Daniels, at least, is a high-level rebounder and solid playmaker.

Wiggins might be the most lineup versatile player on the Hawks bench. He fits into pretty much any construction with his very good shooting and defense, though he is not a primary creator on the ball.

The backup power forward position is one of intrigue as well and could be opponent dependent. Mo Gueye has the most experience and is a proven defender, but is going to miss the start of the season with a foot injury. That cracks the door open for Newell and Ejiofor to have a chance to play off the bench this season. Newell showed some interesting things on offense, but has to be much better on the other end of the floor to be a consistent role player in the NBA. Ejiofor's biggest question coming into the league was his size and ability to shoot the ball, but he looked strong in Summer League.

Devin Carter and Ryan Nembhard are possibillities to play this season, especially if there are injuries, but they are not guaranteed to see the floor on any given night and could even be moved before the season.

Corey Kispert, Buddy Hield, and Henri Veesaar are players who I don't think will be in the rotation this season.

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