Biggest Trade Deadline Takeaway? The Atlanta Hawks Aren't Committed Towards A Playoff Push This Season

Their deadline moves suggest the Hawks' front office isn't concerned about making the playoffs this season - it's the right approach.

Feb 3, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) drives the ball against Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the third quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

As one of the more active front offices in the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks made a total of five trades before the trade deadline on February 5th at 3 pm EST. Out of those five, it's entirely possible that only one of them actually has any ramifications on next season.

Suffice to say, the Hawks' front office isn't treating 2025-26 as a playoffs-or-bust season. It'd be irresponsible to do so. It took half a season for general manager Onsi Saleh to realize this roster was not built for a deep playoff run, and he acted accordingly. Each of the trades this front office pulled off are moves that are designed to pay dividends in 2026-27 and beyond.

It's fair to point out that the Hawks essentially punted on Jalen Johnson's breakout year in a wide-open Eastern Conference. He is a special player in this league - look no further than the 22 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists he put up against the Jazz. It's also fair to question the front office's decision to send out a late first-round pick for 18 games of Kristaps Porzingis. They attempted to bring in a player who would complement Trae Young and provide more spacing for Johnson to operate, but they ultimately misjudged how available Porzingis could really be.

However, this season was all about building a foundation. The Hawks came into the year needing to answer three big questions about their team. Even though they still have 29 games left to play, they already answered two of the three questions by virtue of what they did before the deadline. The last one might be the most important, but it is also the question they have the longest to answer.

1) Can the roster still work with Trae Young at its center?

Dec 27, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) in action against the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While it may seem obvious, this question was answered with a resounding "no".

The two biggest moves of the summer in Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were designed to give Trae Young some more help and see what he could do with a legitimate roster. Instead, he struggled at the start of the season, got hurt and then struggled when he came back. There were some games where he looked more like his old self, but Young's future in Atlanta was in doubt as soon as he got hurt and the Hawks made the responsible decision to pivot.

Instead, they brought in CJ McCollum as part of the package to replace Young and instantly saw him find a role in the rotation. McCollum has legitimately been excellent coming off the bench for the Hawks - they're 10.9 points better in terms of net rating when he's on the court. The combination of him and Johnson have a +14.7 net rating in 181 minutes together. As a result, they've found a sixth man who will likely come back on a cheap contract that also happens to pair well with their franchise star.

Moving on from Kristaps Porzingis is also emblematic of the Hawks casting off one of the last moves they made in order to build a team around Trae Young. They've officially committed to moving the roster in a different direction.

2) How can the Hawks add to the roster in the future?

Feb 5, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) handles the ball against the Utah Jazz in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

By not putting any of the first-round picks they have control over on the table, the Hawks are keeping their options open for the future.

Through the Vit Krejci and Luke Kennard trades, the Hawks added three second-round picks to give them a total of seven second-rounders at their disposal. The cap aprons have made second-rounders actually important because they are often attached to contracts or even used to get back players on expiring contracts. In seasons where the Hawks do need something extra to give them an edge in the playoffs, they now have the assets to actually get that player.

Of the players they acquired in the last three days, all of them can be moved on with very little risk. Gabe Vincent is an expiring contract, Jock Landale was acquired for cap considerations, Jonathan Kuminga is on a team option for 2026-27 and Buddy Hield can be cut before the draft for a cap hit of $3 million. While that says a lot about what the NBA thinks of those players, it means that the Hawks aren't closing off any options in the future.

Getting locked into a particular roster construction with a team that's struggling to get over the .500 mark carries a lot of risk and it's hard to see that ending well. By opting for a future-focused deadline, the Hawks front office is setting the foundation for a team that can make noise in the postseason when it gets there.

3) What is the ceiling of a Jalen Johnson-led team?

Feb 5, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) handles the ball against the Utah Jazz in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The answer to this question still isn't known and it likely won't be revealed this season. Even if the Hawks manage to squeak into the playoffs, they just don't have amazing odds of making a deep run. Atlanta currently figures to be a part of the play-in race, which means that they'll be taking on either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Based on how they've performed against the top seeds in the East, it's fair to wonder if they can actually hold up for a seven-game series and pull out a win.

Next year, the Hawks could be adding a top-three pick to a team that already has its No. 1 scoring option, a great starting backcourt in Dyson Daniels/Nickeil Alexander-Walker and a starting center in Onyeka Okongwu.. They'll have salary cap flexibility available to them since they can create over $30 million just by letting Vincent's deal expire and declining Kuminga's option. Therefore, getting back CJ McCollum as a bench scorer on a cheap deal shouldn't be too difficult. They'll have access to a full set of first-round picks to chase whatever star they want to add alongside Johnson.

As the season winds down, the Hawks may end up missing the postseason entirely. While they could have done more to supplement the roster at the 2025-26 trade deadline, the possibilities of the future are also extremely enticing for an Atlanta team that appears well on its way to finding an identity.