Do the Hawks Have One Of The NBA's Most Underrated Starting Lineups?

The Atlanta Hawks have made quite a few changes to their starting five this season.

They began the year with Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis, but then Young was hurt and later traded. Porzingis was in and out of the lineup and then was also traded. There have been different iterations of the lineup for the Hawks and most recently, they moved former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher to the bench in favor of CJ McCollum.

Now that Jonathan Kuminga has made his debut and played well, will he remain in the starting lineup when Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker get healthy? The lineup of Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, McCollum, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu is +25.9 in 224 possessions per Cleaning the Glass, by far their best lineup.

How good is it?

Dyson Daniels Atlanta Hawk — Feb 24, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) dribbles against Washington Wizards forward Tristan Vukcevic (00) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

While the Hawks starting lineup does not get a lot of recognition, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes gave them a high grade in a recent article:

"Starting Lineup: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu

This group has stayed relatively healthy all season and has close to 300 more total minutes of action than any other on the Atlanta Hawks. Grading out slightly above average in offensive efficiency on the strength of a good shot diet (more looks at the rim and from the deep corners than most), it generates much of its scoring punch in transition.

Though Atlanta's starting five doesn't feature a traditional point guard, it makes up for that with a bunch of capable wing creators who can push the ball up the floor themselves, attacking defenses before they're set. With a transition frequency that ranks in the 94th percentile and a stellar 4.7 points per 100 possessions added in transition off steals, this is one of the most athletic, hard-charging high-minute units in the NBA.

Risacher came off the bench for the first time this season against the Nets on Feb. 22. That's worth keeping an eye on."

Grade: B+

Big Question Ahead

Now that Kuminga is healthy and has looked good through two games, will he move into the starting lineup? That is another question Hawks head coach Quin Snyder must answer.

In his Hawks debut, Jonathan Kuminga finished with a season-high 27 points on 9-12 shooting from the field, including a 3-4 clip from three-point land and 6-7 from the charity stripe, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 24 minutes as a reserve. Kuminga's 27 points are the fifth-most by a player in his Hawks debut in franchise history, the most by a Hawks reserve (since at least 1970-71), and he is the only Hawk to tally 25+ points in fewer than 25 minutes in his debut with the club ... The 6-7 forward is one of just six reserves in the NBA this season to record at least 25 points and five boards on .750%-or-better from the field in a single game.

How did he follow up that performance?

In nearly 30 minutes, Kuminga racked up 17 points, nine rebounds, and three assists on 5-9 shooting and 6-8 from the free throw line. He got his first career start as a Hawk since Jalen Johnson was out, and he performed well, though it was against a lowly Wizards team.

Through the first two games, it has been a strong start for the former No. 7 overall pick. He has brought energy to the Hawks lineup and has fit in seamlessly. Sure it helps to play a team with no desire to win, but so far so good with the Kuminga experiment in Atlanta and it could get even more interesting if he is inserted into the starting lineup.